Private Western Brisshal Eternal Duties

[Lucia Mierz]

It had been a brand new day for the game, with players back things had been both festive and tense in a sense. There was some unease with how quickly things seemed to fall into a state of disrepair and be reclaimed by the wilds and the monsters. Lucia was naturally one of the first to venture out immediately into it to clear out one of her usual stomping grounds for safety. In the chaos of the various work camps she set up skeletons were working diligently, cutting down trees or trimming growths to create easily traversable paths where there were no prying eyes. Someday soon there would likely be a team who would connect all of these paths back to the various towns and cities, but for now she worked clearing the way away from others where they wouldn't interfere with the undead workers.

One such site, was unfortunately tasked with replacing the furniture she used in her tent. As magnificent as it always was, it was at the end of the day also set up in the wilderness and without anyone taking proper care of it in a while it had naturally grown either moldy or unusable in the time she'd been away. It featured a great number of undead chopping trees mechanically, most mindlessly going about the actions in leathers or rags wielding axes or saws with measured movements.

There was however one group that weren't so mechanical, with smoother movements and more intelligence in their actions while the others simply went about their work mindlessly making way for anyone that might pass through without any intent to stop them or interfere. They wore plate armor unlike the more haphazardly dressed workers and usually had either shield in hand or heavy weapon over a shoulder. Featuring some kind of ornament here or there such as a pined cape or ornamental dress on the helmet, at times there were even emblems on the chests each seemed to have white lilies as the theme or a canoe boat with a moon as a backdrop depending.

Even with helmets on one could still tell they were skeletons from what occasionally pocked through face plates or the eerie lights that could be seen rather then eyes. They paced around the work site patiently from time to time as a group of two making an effort to deter any monsters or potential threats after the last time a worker was caught off guard and alone they were trying to increase security just a small margin.

 

[Ru Ning]

Though not exactly at the forefront of pioneering, Ru had been charged with recertifying the old paths used to reach Astorea. It was a necessary task, one filled with the spirit of adventure for someone who had yet to traverse them. Considering that with the potential of unknown variables due to the years of overgrowth and natural reclamation, the lepis was rather excited at the prospect of his first attempt to trail blaze. The journey itself had been rather smooth so far. Despite the old roads having long eroded, with the spirits as his guide the path was straight forward and danger mostly foreseen.

His footsteps soon ground to a halt however as his ears twitched slightly at a rather unusual sound. Or perhaps unusual was the incorrect term. Familiar yet unexpected would describe this best, the rhythmic sound of wood being chopped and trees felled. That's strange... this place shouldn't have inhabitants? The explorer thought this to himself while slowing his footsteps and inching a bit closer to the source of the noise. It was then that he reached a reasonable distance, spotting several eerie figures mechanically going through the motions. Undead… Quite a number too… best I survey this camp and jot it down on the map.

Falling back a bit deeper into the tree line, he'd begin to circle around the camp in order to observe his new found subjects. From what the lepis could tell, the workers seemed rather mindless, paying little to no heed to his presence or any external stimuli at all from his cautious probing. Curious as to the nature of the phenomena before him, Ru began to channel a bit of spirit magic in order to view the world from another perspective. Eyes shimmering ghastly blue for a moment before returning to normalcy, he gazed upon several faint flickering orbs attached to these remnant bodies. They shuddered rather weakly, only boosting the confidence of his security. Rather low tier undead. Wonder if they'd even notice me if I walked up? Well, those two might… He gaze lingered for a moment upon a patrolling pair, adorned in proper attire and armed with weapons beyond his own capabilities. The orbs indicating their souls showed them to be of a different measure. Let's avoid them for now.

His course of action decided, Ru continued to hover around the edge of the foliage while waiting for the pair to pass by. Only after they had marched across the camp, did he let out a sigh of relief while walking forward nonchalantly to test the waters. A hand gestured towards the nearest worker with a wave as he proceeded. "Hey, keep up the good work! At the rate we're going we'll be right on track for the next shipment." His strut was natural, confident and steady as if he belonged there to begin with. The man's eyes betrayed otherwise though, keenly gauging the skeleton workers' reactions, legs primed to book it at the first sign of hostility.

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The moment they were approached actively, a lot of the work close by seemed to come to a freeze. Though beyond simply stopping nothing else had happened. Some skeletons stopped while raising the axe, and others stopped with the axe buried deep in wood. Some were even still hauling or tying ropes up until they paused their order as if their routine had been temporarily suspended from the sudden action. The reason was naturally the pair of paladins who were reacting to the sudden voice.

One with shield drawn in one arm formed a small wall with gladius in hand trying it's best to be on guard. The second formed up behind with a heavy cleaving weapon drawn back, prepared to cleave through if it's partner didn't manage to finish things but no combat action had been taken outside of preparing a stance. Though the man who approached them was didn't show any hostility, his confidence was the source of their unease. Anyone with the bravado to walk into their camp either knew their Saintess or felt they had the power to back up their actions. The former was almost immediately dismissed as data was sent through the relay to confirm the individual was not one who had been woven into their knowledge.

After a good long while of awkward tension, if Ru didn't speak first the shield paladin would instead lifting it's head above the heavy shield for eye contact. "Living Person, the workers of our Saint are innocent civilians not strong enough to be independent. They will provide you no 'Numbers'." The paladin tried to appeal to Ru's humanity by identifying the humble lumber workers as innocents that shouldn't be harmed. If that wasn't enough he tried to quickly follow up with the fact that they were summoned beings and provided no Experience. Unfortunately the concept of game experience was difficult for Lucia's summons to properly understand, barely able to follow that the living at times would ruthlessly kill to drain their victims of number points to expedite their growth unnaturally.

If this wasn't enough to provoke a reaction from Ru, the one at the rear would follow up quickly with more deterring words. "We are from the Righteous Order of Endless Law. Our Saintess is a Living person as well." the second tried to form some connections based off of race (?) as if confusing living as a racial trait hoping that some type of bridge to understanding might be built if he knew they weren't serving some doomknight or dracolich monster. "What is your purpose?" It would try to follow up so at least if they did come to blows their leaders might receive this information and let them know how to proceed.

 

[Ru Ning]

His muscles tensed upon noticing their actions grind to a halt in a uniform and synchronized manner. Though a bit comical considering some of their poses had frozen mid motion, now was not the time for laughter but rather concern as the two figures Ru had singled out earlier about began their approach. Despite their stances being clearly of a defensive nature, the lepis still had trouble shaking off his doubts as either individual could most likely flatten him on the spot. Their body language alone indicated confusion on their end, as if they were facing a powerful entity worthy of caution. This was clearly not the case; however it wasn't reflected by their behavior. Fake it till you make it I guess…

The shield paladin's words were… an oddity to say the least. Apparently the low grade undead before him were considered civilians? Perhaps they belonged to a populace of an unknown faction that had developed in the forest during a period of natural overgrowth. If that were the case, as a representative of his organization, he would have to tread with caution out of concern for sparking a war with an unknown entity. This talk about numbers though… was rather confusing. Did they think of him as a foreman for the work camp? He did present himself with mention of a shipment.

Still lost in thought, the one at the rear continued on with a bit more context. Ah, so it was an organized body of some sort. Living person… perhaps a necromancer then? They seem tame enough. Righteous might be debatable though… Having head the follow up question, Ru cleared his throat for a slightly prolonged period of time in order to organize his thoughts. This was clearly a moment for sticking "in character" considering the facts presenting themselves. "I am here on behalf of the Explorer's League. My mission is to rechart a path to the western half of Brisshal in order to update our maps. Though I must ask… with all due respect gentle… skeleingtons, I can't say I've heard of your order before, nor of your Saintess. To what deity do you honor and to whom do you report to so it may be documented in my findings? I also wish to be enlightened with regards to your order." Considering the strange and obtuse nature of this occurrence, perhaps Ru would be rewarded for this discovery if it held enough importance. On the bright side, he hadn't been gutted like a fish yet which was rather reassuring.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

After hearing the man's words, the Paladins briefly came together once more. It was unusual for a human to respond back without knowing their saintess. People often either attacked or were familiar with Lucia, it was rare for the answer to be neither. After a brief brain trust once more, communication happening as fast as light as they argued and debated and looked to their superiors for help. In the end the conclusion came out after a brief pause. "I see. We also have been tasked with a mission from 'The Undying' to begin the reclamation process of the paths between the cities just beyond the city's observation distance. Living Person we mean you no harm, but I am told that your Living Missions come with writs or documentation. Please slowly retrieve documentation so that we might confirm your identity." The Shield wielder spoke. If Ru did have some kind of document or proof of mission, they would briefly exchange glances until the shield one nodded.

The pair would carefully inch forward, making every effort to very awkwardly hold their formation while moving. Making sure their upper bodies were still poised to strike leading to a very awkward looking gait as they approached for the document. When it came time to retrieve it, it was done by the one with the great blade, reaching over the shield wielder to get it before they would retreat a few steps as a precaution. If everything checked out, the pair would seemingly relax a bit more, gradually lowering the great blade and the gladius as the paperwork was examined.

"Hm, It seems the Living people have finally begun work on the roads as well. Good, good, it's about time they lend a hand. Work for the saintess is an honor but bushcraft duty is tough."
"Mm, the woodchips are the worst."

The shield wearer spoke as if the debris would get stuck in the plate mail from time to time during the patrols. If things could be settled peacefully with the humans, the two undead paladins wouldn't complain. Instead as things relaxed more the pair would seem more and more human despite how foreign their constant 'live person' titles might be.

"Ah, Living person, if we're going to talk faith it might be better over a bottle. Do live people drink?"
"Wasn't alcohol poisonous to Live people?"
"... I-- I don't remember. How much liquor until you die Living person-- Will you live long enough for a glass? Is it more or less?"

They ended up hesitating even as one pulled pulled up it's chest plate revealing exposed ribs that had protected a bottle of liquor and a journal rather then organs. Not wanting to poison the person they were unsure of how much to pour if any.

 

[Ru Ning]

A smile couldn't help but form across Ru's lips as he watched the paladins reconvene for their group huddle. It was rather cute in a sense, as if comically endearing or perhaps a slapstick. Their mannerisms were quirky too in a rather good way, that or his sense of aesthetics were just corrupted beyond salvation. "Ah, yes. One moment please." He slowly began to dig through his satchel, producing a rather crumpled and several times folded writ received from the League.

Seeing their skepticism as they approached the Lepis, he shrugged and carefully placed the note on the ground, then took several casual steps back to give the skeletons peace of mind while they retrieved the note. "Do take care though… I'll need that back in case I run into others." Upon seeing their expressions (or lack thereof) relax, he'd let out an audible chuckle. "Looks like everything's squared away." He'd nod with approval while motioning for the duo to hand his writ back.

Ru's eyes then rose with curiosity as his head tilted at their proposal of drinking. Though it was a rather strange thing for undead to carry on (or in this case, in) their person, he didn't question it too greatly as the pair seemed experienced in handling live people. "Ahahah – yes, live people do imbibe alcohol despite it being toxic in large quantities. I, however, shall pass." He quickly made a mental note that whatever sentience was attached to their bodies was potentially non-human due to their lack of basic knowledge. "It's not a good habit to drink while working. And besides, that bottle looks rather precious. I'm sure your Saintess would greatly appreciate it if you were to proffer it as an offering."

He'd then look around for a place to sit. If one was not readily presentable, the Lepis would instead choose a nearby stump from a felled tree while motioning for the other two to join him. "Please, do have a seat though. I find these talks can be rather extensive, especially when concerning another person's subject of adoration. What should we start with? Your order? The Saintess? Or perhaps the god she serves? Also if you don't mind me asking, what is the nature of your existence? You two don't seem to possess knowledge common for humans despite having human form."

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The undead would awkwardly return the writ, unaware of it's use or the reason. The flow of information and authority was just too different. The undead at least were all connected so it was easy to transmit and know things, humans didn't have things so easy. Hearing that humans could drink but that it was toxic in large amounts both undead took a different thinking pose, one stroking a non-existant beard while the other the back of the head both humming as if trying to guess how much 'large quantities' was for the future.

Taking the seat was natural though, the pair thrusting weapons into the dirt or roots of the tree to keep them upright and reachable while sitting in the process. "Ah, it must be tough being a living person if you can't drink while working." The Paladin shook his head as if believing it to be some live person tradition. Naturally without blood to intoxicate the Paladins didn't suffer the same side effects. The other paladin though only shook his head when talking about how precious the bottle was. "This thing? No no, the Saintess gives them out to us now and again. We don't sleep like the living, so if we don't take these things the Saintess feels bad... The Wraith King usually holds onto the nice ones to give back to her so we don't have to worry about wasting them." He spoke pouring a shot for his companion before pouring one for himself.

Their methods of drinking were peculiar. One brought the glass close to his head where it ignited, burning off into visible fumes that were quickly sucked into the helmet where the undead exhaled a breath as if having taken a rough sip. Likewise the other simply slammed the drink back vaporizing it instantly in the flames that kept it's eyes lit before slamming the shot glass down on the stump with a relieved voice. "Good." "A sharp flavor." "Different from usual, what is it?" "The Wraith King said it had mint muddled in?" "The green plant?" "Right?" The pair laughed briefly clearly having a sense of taste... somehow.

The sudden wave of questions brought the pair back on track though. Briefly exchanging a glance, the one with the blade started as more drinks were poured. "I'd not thought the Living people were so interested. Typically the Saintess has trouble involving you folk in our business. Let's see though... Maybe our beginning?" The paladin started, but the other nodded back and continued in his place. "Ah-- We were raised during a Castle seige. You Living ones should remember well when the player city started. We were some of the defenders-- Back then we were living people too, our Commander too was also one of the captains who led things back then." The paladins explained their origins.

Though one scratched a hand over his helmet as if trying to recall things from that far back. "It was tougher back then though, Low Tier undead, we weren't much different form the workers around you." "The Saintess had it hard back then. We were just mindless dummies dragged around by the Saintess's strings. Ever since we were woven into the Fate Weave and given our blessing though we've been able to help out more." The paladin explained what made them unique, if there was anything that set them apart it was the Fate Weave.

 

[Ru Ning]

Judging from the conversation, the two before him were previously human. Though unsure of the timeline regarding their conversion, from the sound of it they had gone through a process in order to become enlightened. His interest peaked, he'd continue watching for a moment as the two took part in the bottle via their own distinct methods. It was a rather curious process, one that left the pathologist inside him tickled to understand. Clearly it had transcended beyond physiological matters.

Castle siege? Player city? Now that the two had mentioned it, the League had hinted at reclearing a path to another city. Perhaps this was the one he had been briefed on? It seemed as though he'd have to look into that more at a later date for context. "I see, I see…" He waited patiently as they continued on with their story. "Ah, so there was an evolution process of sorts. An upgrade via this… Fate Weave. Could you perhaps describe more on the ascension process or what you experienced? Did it hurt?... And what exactly is a Fate Weave anyway?"

He'd stretch his arms while settling in to get a bit more comfortable. "How did you two feel upon reawakening? The process doesn't exactly sound consensual considering your underlings... state of mind? Or lack thereof. Does your body feel much different from before? Can you even remember before?" It was hard to imagine being ripped from the void of absolute nothingness, let alone trapped within a flagging body with such poor... cognitive facilities. Just the thought of it let a shudder run down his spine.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The pair of paladins took another drink in their own unique ways, but when asking about their evolutionary process they paused. Considering for a moment the first one to speak had been the one wielding the shield though even then his speech was slow and uncertain. "Let's see... It's difficult to explain. You should know, Living Human it's hard to trace things back beyond that point. Things become vague and disjointed... Blurry memories, occasional clarity in combat. The process leading up to it is broken up." They explained turning to the other who confirmed with a nod. Neither of them seemed to be completely aware of the process of what it entailed.

"The Fate Weave is the tapestry that determines fate, past, present, future, being woven together. When you die or suffer some catastrophic change, the threads snap or tangle. The Saintess wove us back into the Fate Weave personally so that we might live without her energy." The one with the shield continued, but feeling the explanation might be incomplete, the heavy blade wielder added. "It's also through the Fate Weave we have the energy of planets and stars to keep us strong and active rather then having to burden the saintess for her energy." The paladin explained that it was both a means of maintaining intelligence but also acted as a pseudo food source it seemed.

Though when talking of consent though neither of the paladins had given it in a sense. Rather they were practically born through the power. "No we didn't really agree to it but... I'm not sure... How is it for you living people, are you given a choice about your birth?" He asked as if uncertain, the other paladin equally curious. As if neither of them had any real knowledge of life when alive. Wondering if it was different when humans were made, did they give consent? Did they have a choice about their birth? They didn't know but if they were different it would come as a surprise.

 

[Ru Ning]

Upon hearing the shield skeleton's explanation, the laughter from Ru's demeanor began to fade bit by bit. If what it was saying stood true, then they were in essence newborns with fresh perspectives of the world, untainted and uncorrupted by society and its filth. "Ah, it seems I owe you two an apology then. Though unintentional, my questions were a bit rude." Hopefully no offense was taken. Considering the nature of the two, it was highly unlikely.

Their follow up however caused his lips to curl upwards into a grin. Though the temptation to prank these innocent souls was certainly tantalizing, the Lepis felt a tinge of guilt at the thought of actually executing such white lies. "No, you would be correct in your assumption. Likewise, living people do not consent to birth, nor are they truly developed enough during the process of growth to understand their situation until much further maturation. That said, have any of your kind—How should I prefer to you? – ever expressed unwillingness to continue their existence upon reaching a higher level of cognitive thought? It can be said that some living people most certainly do."

He'd pause for their response, allowing them to think tank once more if necessary before prodding further. "I've yet to know your names despite having already shared greetings and discussed faith over drinks. I am Ru Ning, however you may simply call me Ru, or Mister Ning if being casual leaves you with discomfort. Might I have the honor of knowing yours?"

@Lucia Mierz

PS: Skeleboy are too cute. Must protecc

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The apology was unwarranted as far as the paladins were concerned. Far too welcoming to accept such an apology for questions. "Ah, don't worry too much Living person, we're all creatures blessed with intelligence. If we don't ask how can we learn things we can't feel?" One asked earning an elbow from the other who laughed in approval. It was a warm atmosphere, the pair, as well as most of Lucia's summons were very supportive, not only of helping others but of giving advice they felt was helpful.

Nodding along when it was explained that living wasn't too different, the pair of Skeletal Paladins seemed relieved that they had that in common with the living. "That's good, the more in common the easier to understand." "It's strange though, we come from corpses, so we could have been asked I suppose, I wonder how one would ask an unborn living." The paladin mused making the other pause in thought. Though it didn't last long, there was only so much they could do with suppositions or theories.

Though the ones who talked about unwillingness to continue their existence the atmosphere got a bit heavier. The pair pausing briefly with a bit of heavy feeling before one nodded slowly. "Yeah... 'The Exhausted' right?" The one with the shield spoke only to earn a solemn nod from their partner. "There have. 'The Exhausted' who lose zest for the world. It's rare for one of us tied to the Fate's Weave to experience it, but our brothers from the outside... We see it in them more often. Angry, tired, but unable to stop. The Saintess usually asks us to make our last moments impactful, so you'll see 'The Exhausted' on the front lines of heavy battle rather then serving in our roles. You don't usually find them among our numbers though." They spoke as if it was a burdensome subject, a sad misfortune for them who were blessed with all the time in the world to be too tired to continue.

Receiving another shove though, the pair tried to perk up when talk of names came up. "Ah, Living Ru, well met." The shield wielder would say, his chipper demeanor a bit forced as he shook off the earlier subject. "I am #12, and my partner here is #7." He explained pointing to the sword wielder who nodded back in affirmation. Though if Ru seemed confused about the naming convention, the sword user, #7 would speak up instead. "We're still stuck at Tier 2 of the Saintess's sorting method. Though we don't understand how it works, unless you rise to Tier 3 the Saintess doesn't give you a proper name or title. Since we don't need names to communicate, we tell people the order we were raised in." He spoke, tapping an armored finger to his helmet when he mentioned not needing names to understand each other. The reason was because whenever they tried to communicate individuals in question would always feel the ping through the Fate Weave. The Hive-mind like method of communication didn't require names despite them all maintaining some individuality

 

[Ru Ning]

A sage nod was given as Ru continued to better understand his two colleagues. Their words made great sense if one could process them independently of any prejudice, something he had come to greatly appreciate over the course of their conversation. Though he had a few theories on how to ask an unborn living, Ru remained quiet, as the subject slowly began to take a turn for the worst. These Exhausted sounded all too familiar. It was as if they were describing his other self, anchored in reality. At least these undead, no rebirthed (he had decided the prior term was no longer appropriate when compared to stereotypical undead), found solace in honoring their final moments; which was more direction than he had ever gotten.

He'd shake his head disapprovingly though with their content at being mere numbers. "Just because the Saintess hasn't bestowed you a name yet, doesn't mean nobody else can, including yourselves. How about this, why don't I give you two names and you can use them until she honors you with another?" He'd pause for a moment, trying to gauge their expressions through the fluctuations of their souls before explaining further. "They might seem a bit pointless at first, but names are rather important. They're your identity, proof that you existed as your name is passed on in memory. And most importantly, nobody can take it from you – their yours, and yours alone."

Should the two seem amenable, he'd press onwards. "Since you're number seven… why don't we call you Sebastian? It sounds similar, right? Easy to remember too! And for you… twelve… hmm, how about Tywin? Those both sound like proper names for paladins. Don't be too quick to shoot it down. Why not try calling each other that first?" He'd watch on with eager eyes. It was clear the Lepis was hoping for their participation as temporarily as it might be.

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The talk about not being bestowed names made the pair a bit bashful. Not as if they were incapable of coming up with one, even if it were lame such as "tall tree" or "Heavy Rock" they could create titles or names themselves. "There's power in a name Living Ru, power that we don't have--" "Might not ever have." #7 interrupted as if slightly concerned. It was largely concerned about whether or not they would truly deserve any kind of name they got rather then whether or not it was right or time.

Still, when offered one the pair exchanged looks, a little uneasy and bashful still, but in the end one extended a hand. "Sebastian..." "Ah-- Right, Tywin." They tried introducing themselves. Though a little awkward about it, they seemed happy even if it was just for pretend. The unique possibility of being able to have such a privilege before their potential grew enough to shed their armor and become more unique from the horde was nice. Still though it was clear they were overly shy about having any kind of name, like a child might be when trying to wear a parent's clothes or make up, it was exciting but a little tense.

"Ah, then I guess you would be Friend Ru then huh." #7 spoke with a chuckle, trying to introduce himself again offering an armored hand to shake. "This one is Sebastian, well met." "And Tywin... But, that's obvious I guess." They both laughed, awkwardly bumbling over their own names, finding fun in it briefly.

 

[Ru Ning]

Ru watched on silently as the two internally struggled with their desires. As much as he wanted to interject further, it was an important decision that they alone had to make. Watching on fondly from his seat, a broad grin spread across the Lepis' face as the number seven, no Sebastian, took the first step forward. Not to be left behind, Tywin followed suit, both with hands extended in greeting.

Standing upright to reach forward, Ru would decisively make contact and shake their hands. Not an ounce of hesitation was shown as he'd nod approvingly and reinforce their newfound names. "Friend Ru huh? I do like the sound of that. It's pleasure to meet you Sebastian. Well met, Tywin." He'd join in on the laughter, patting them both on the back before returning to his seat and letting them settle in with the reality of things. "It'll feel more natural the more it's spoken. That's the unique power of names. It's why gods focus so heavily on them, as do orders and royalty. Speaking of orders, what exactly does The Endless Law represent? Surely there must be a mission statement or something of the sorts, no?"

Remembering he still had other questions in need of address, he'd smoothly circle back to the order and it's purpose. After all, he couldn't simply go back to the Explorer's League and only explain he'd met two skeletons named Sebastian and Tywin now, could he?...

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The two skeletons nodded along, at least glad that a living person could accept their greeting freely and without any kind of reservations. Most of the undead under Lucia's command had had been conditioned to be aware of certain prejudices and be weary of living backlash against them on sight. There was a good chance that if they weren't careful or on the look out a human might run in and ambush them just based on their appearance. After a few sneak attacks had occurred indeed it had become ingrained that they should at least be cautious of first encounters.

"Hm, Perhaps it's a living thing. It's never been much of a trouble for us without names until now." Sebastian thought, not wanting to discredit the ways of the humans, but the paladins had power despite having no names, while the truly powerful did indeed possess them, for those like Sebastian and Tywin, they had become powerful enough even without them. They both heard the name of their order though and briefly adjusted posture, puffing chests out a bit pridefully and with a bit of strength. "Hm, Friend Ru, let me tell you, The Order of Endless Law fights against the forces of Entropy, and disorder. Some would say us being alive goes against the 'natural' world so in order to try and minimize the harm we do, we try to make sure we don't harm things further and protect what we can." "Mm, Also we try to fight for people with no where to turn, the ones cursed as taboo or turned away for whatever they might be lacking. People shouldn't live lifes of lonliness or fear, so we try to look out for the ones that get ostracized by the normal folk." The pair began and explained.

Though neither of them spoke of a duty to protect those in danger or those who were weak. The reasons were largely because the law of nature means the strong feeding on the weak, creatures need to eat, and for the unliving to interfere with those kinds of living needs doesn't feel right. As for defending against danger they likewise tried not to interfere. In a crisis situation, if living people saw undead suddenly pour in, their first instinct might think that there was more danger rather then cooperate to help. Without Lucia's command they didn't dare interfere with either of those two situations themselves. "As for a mission... Mm, If it's helping the normal folk, The Goddess Synra will hear them in the next life, it's not really our place to take that from her." "Right-- If the Living are good people, The Goddess will send them back, or they'll end up like us as members of the order. The bad ones..." They spoke in turn before chuckling dryly, their words coming out simultaneously ""They turn into the Exhausted.""

 

[Ru Ning]

With the conversation turning to more serious matters, as indicated by the pair cutely puffing their chests out, Ru's ears would twitch slightly while listening intently. Allowing the two to finish their explanation in full before saying anything, he'd mull quietly over what was presented, trying to digest it as best as possible. From the looks of it, the order had a clear purpose, one he could agree with on the surface. Though there were a few minor qualms he had regarding the ideology, it was still within his own morale threshold for acceptance. To probe the pair however, he'd pose his own question regarding the flow of the natural world, primarily as a thinking exercise to gauge their reasoning skills.

"Huh… so the order fights against entropy and disorder… yet respects the natural world as best as possible, right? But the natural world inherently favors disorder and chaos, does it not? Without our intervention, cities turn to dust. Overgrowth reclaims what we've taken from it, and the cycle of life and death proceeds unhindered as opposed to us tending the sick and frail. Seems a bit contradictory?..."

He'd pause a moment to gauge their reactions before continuing on, highlighting the merits of their organization. "I do think it's a rather noble cause though, sheltering those shut out by society. As inherently social creatures, living people do not fare well alone, at least most don't. Perhaps those who have experienced such hardships will adapt better to your existences as well. How could beings that accept them be possibly worse than their own kind who have turned them away?"

Their mission however was unique to say the least. Though he vaguely remembered some details regarding Synra from his initial research at a local archive, it was hard to say whether their interpretation was in line with the Goddess' intent. Rather than having a philosophical debate with the two, he'd instead question the bit about their world weary companions. "Was this the teachings of your Saintess? If the good are sent back to our world or rebirthed as you two are, how come the wicked are sent back as well? It seems like the same outcome regardless…" His head tilted in a bit of confusion as his eyes widened slightly upon realizing the insensitivity of such a question. "Sorry, I ask with curiosity, not out of slight."


@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

Shaking their heads almost simultaneously, the pair seemed to take up a pose of lecturing or educating in their own right at the thought of contradiction in natural order. "Not so Friend Ru, just like we don't know much about the living, us intelligent folk have problems seeing the order of the feral folk. You can see that order in the Fate's Weave, when a wolf or bear gets claws too long, they scratch bark or rocks to shave them down. The sick animals will sometimes chew on flowers or mosses like medicine because they don't know how to manufacture medicine." "Ah, you can see them caring for their children sometimes too. There's definitely order in nature Friend Ru." The pair nodded along firmly in their understanding. There were parts that they couldn't understand as smarter creatures, like cannibalisms or marking with pee, but they'd learned not to judge things by their appearance. They had their own wisdom that suited their own world.

Hearing him refer to their mission as a noble cause though, the pair nodded again in understanding, relaxing more visibly, even a bit sad about their thoughts as Sebastian continued. "Well, usually those who are ostracized are the first to become 'exhausted'. We've seen from time to time what becomes of those who are pushed away by their cohorts." "Mm, one of the Saintess's high level followers-- far higher then us at least was close. If you take one look into that demented bitch's eyes... You can see how terrible one's own kind can be if you deviate too much. It's best to have a place to belong, even if the folk aren't like you, family's more then blood and bone." Tywin followed up firmly. They both had a touch of horror as they relived the time spent with that monster. The crazed look in her eyes, the unnatural demeanor, even for undead it made them shudder with fear.

Asking about their saintess's teachings though, they gradually recollected themselves, trying to forcefully push back that terror. "The saintess's teachings... they're hard for us to understand. She uses a lot of words unfamiliar to us even with the Fate Weave giving us knowledge. About the power of numbers when one kills, the dangers of a permanent death. The scariness of the living who chase those numbers mindlessly or don't study the knowledge of our world. The parts we do understand are being kind to people in need, or supporting family or companions-- the importance of connections. The importance of balancing good and evil, sin and virtue." Tywin spoke struggling a little with the teachings of their Saintess. Whether it was because he wasn't smart or the system prevented him from understanding points about the game, he struggled with the knowledge he'd been given that was so broken and shattered due to his identity.

The talk about the wicked though made the pair exchange glances, Sebastian shook his head in thought. "The Saintess tells us the world and the Fate Weave tries to achieve balance on it's own. If there is too much good, there will be an evil born to tip things back." "Ah-- If there is no evil that can be born either, one will be raised like us, one of the 'Exhausted' will come into being against it's will. This is how they tend to start." "All things require balance Friend Ru, Even in us paladins, there is Divine magic and Dark Magic to protect us from becoming extreme like the 'Exhausted'. Our Saintess warns if we lean too much towards divine we might become 'Exalted' monsters instead and become deranged monsters that tolerate no blemishes on a pure world." "Mm, The living are more in danger of becoming these things, be careful Friend Ru, when one of us becomes a monster it is easy to see, but not so for your kind, keep both eyes open for those monsters before one gets too close and snaps you up." They spoke as if such a creature were more boogieman then foe. Likely because they'd not yet seen one in person.

@Ru Ning

 

[Ru Ning]

A joyful cackle sounded from Ru's lips as he heard the two cursing one of their own. It was a pleasant surprise to see that such innocent individuals had already been exposed to derogatory words. If anything, it relieved him of the worry of being the one responsible for corrupting their vocabulary. "Ahaha, I see your kind have those types too huh? Demented bitch… haven't heard that one since I last spoke of my friend's ex-wife." He'd slap his knees with glee as he'd nod with agreement, egging them on. "Let me guess, she had familial problems and is quick to blame others regardless of where the fault lies? A self-portrayed victim?" Though his glee was perhaps misdirected, he continued to vent anyway. "Either way, it must be true if you two are insisting so."

He'd pause to mull over these additional teachings which giving a sage nod. As gibberish as the talk about numbers and permanent death were, the Lepis did understand to an extent. After all, for other travelers similar to himself, this was nothing more than a game. Prior to meeting those who were trapped here, he thought so as well. "The best warning I can give you two regarding travelers is to be weary of those that see this world as a game. That's right, a game, in the same sense you would play cards or dice. To them? This is no different. They won't follow common conventions and at best are unpredictable. It might be hard to understand numbers, or permanent death but what can be understood is that they don't cherish life, others or their own, accordingly." Ru gestured emphatically to drive this singular point home. If there was anything Tywin and Sebastian ought to understand, it was the danger and recklessness of Travelers still viewing the world as a game.

As for the talk about Exhausted and Exalted, though he had a vague understanding of the concept, the underlying premise was basic enough. Anything taken to an extreme was considering unhealthy. Noticing how spooked the two were regarding these subjects, he'd attempt to divert their attention to something more pleasant to pass a bit of time. "Speaking of cards, are you two familiar with Blackjack?" He'd pull out a deck of cards tucked away in his satchel. "If not, consider it an exercising in assimilating with living people. The more you have in common, the easier it'll be to converse, yes?" If no objections were put forth, the Lepis would begin going over the cards and basic rules… "So the goal is to get as close to twenty one as you can without going over…"

@Lucia Mierz

 

[Lucia Mierz]

The paladins both shook their heads. Certainly it was familial problems, but there was more wrong with the women then that. "Too much lingering emotion in that one Friend Ru, the rest of us can't remember much of who we were before. That one though, through sheer hate and anger and madness and fury--" He spoke throwing out every adjective that could describe those intense emotions he knew as the other cut in. "She is 'The Avenger' Friend Ru, if you ever hear that title, or the sound of gunfire from our ranks be weary... The Avenger has eyes but does not see friend or foe, has mouth but does not speak words, only deranged laughter." The paladin explained the legend wearily as if they'd been victims of it in the past. There were few of the lesser tiers who hadn't been caught in the crossfire of Morgana's reckless actions.

Hearing the explanation about the world being a game, it made sense, the skeletons for what it was worth were able to process that answer. It was one that matched what their Saintess warned them about, it was why they were so weary of Ru as well as many other normal humans without a stronger supporter nearby to contend with. "Strange folk they are... A game. Even for us who can always come back it's hard not to treasure our existence. Bizarre." Sebastian murmured, glancing to his partner who still seemed lost by the connection. The two struggled not to understand valuing life, as they themselves did not ever have it, it was wasteful to throw such a thing that can't be so easily retrieved back they thought. For the naive Paladins every life lost was one that they perhaps could have had in another world.

The talk of a card game though made them perk up in thought. Settling over, they sat down trying to listen to rules as he spoke. If talks of betting and gambling came up they'd even put forth foreign black coins, though they each only had 7 total, it was clear the coins were new likely more of an internal currency for things like the bottle of liquor or the journal that Sebastian had. Still they would freely try to play the game, not being the best by far, but decent enough once they learned they were harder to read when silent with their helmets and blazing eyes having tells your normal person would be unfamiliar with. It wouldn't be a bad way to spend the rest of the day just playing like that.

@Ru Ning