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[onblackwings]

[ This lady's looking a little different, for anyone that's spoken with her before. Not any older, but there's a sort of crooked quality to her nose, like it'd been broken and healed some time ago. She's lounging in the Initiative apartments, looking like she's recently made friends with a superiority complex. ]

I want to speak to those of you who have seen a war before. Not the skirmishes that the Initiative sends us on here, but actual war.

And failing that, I'll take anyone that knows magic — and can teach it. That part is important. Don't waste my time if all you can do is cast it.

Comments

[heirwithouthope]

A foul, mutilated race. [His words are clipped, and become more and more disgusted as he goes.] There is nothing good that they create, nor is there any mercy in their hearts. The orc is only clever in the ways of cruelty and destruction.

[onblackwings]

[ huh. sounds kinda like... ]

Are you familiar with ogres?

[heirwithouthope]

I've heard stories of them. [A tale most often told by Men, and exploited by their children in order to scare their little siblings into tears. He also supposes there were some hobbits that passed ogre stories along, and that would be the closest thing to danger their precious Shire would ever know.] Cannibal giants. Nothing more than legend.

[onblackwings]

They're not that tall, and probably only somewhat more likely to cannibalize than a human. You described them better when you were talking about orcs. [ A shrug. ] In any case, it seems like your picture is clear. Continue.

[heirwithouthope]

They wormed their way into the abandoned mines of my kin--you can imagine such vile creatures taking to theft. But my grandfather heard no word of this when he led us there.

We traveled far to find our ancestral realm taken. Our enemy greatly overpowered us in number, but we took arms and fought the orcs.

[onblackwings]

[ Ogres turning to theft? Oh yeah, no need to imagine that. But now his story is getting interesting. She leans in a little, head cocked. ]

But you stand before me today to relate the tale. Did you win?

[heirwithouthope]

[Thorin takes note of the interested shift in her body language and raises his eyebrows.]

Answer my question and I will tell you.

[onblackwings]

[ Her lips purse in annoyance-- a nice little signifier of displeasure she picked up from someone around here. But, well, that was the agreement. ]

They didn't send me back intentionally, I don't think. It seems to be the instability of their machine. And when I returned home, it was precisely the same second I'd left it, and I forgot my time here right up until the moment I returned to Exsilium.

[heirwithouthope]

[Her irritation is lost on Thorin--what matters to him is she doesn't try to argue, and her response is favorable. It sounds like something he could find hope in.

He wants to ask if there were others, but he knows how that will go. He returns to her question with a growing heaviness in his voice.]

Over ten-thousand orcs were slain in that battle. Their leader wounded and dragged back into the mines. We were victorious.

[onblackwings]

[ There's a pleased little smile here, and she can only imagine how wonderful a battle that must have been. But: ]

You don't sound very pleased about your victory.

[heirwithouthope]

[He scowls at that observation.] It pleases me enough.

It may please you less when you remember the smell of old blood. And the ground covered with your dead, far past the ability to bury them. Half the dwarves that fought at my side now reside in the halls of Mandos, with our Maker.

[onblackwings]

That sort of thing should be expected, as the cost of war.

[ Or so she assumes, from what she's heard. Except he'd said this was an unexpected battle, and she doubts he'd been planning to lose half his force. Still, though... she shrugs. ]

At least you drove them back. If orcs are much like ogres, that's a respectable feat for an outnumbered force.

[heirwithouthope]

[Thorin certainly wasn't planning to take on the weight of his people when his grandfather was slain and his father was lost. And to stick the knife in deeper, Azog hadn't died in Moria.

The expression lines on his face smooths out, replaced by a well-used mask of resolve.]

It served a purpose. There is nothing to be lost with less orcs in the world.

[onblackwings]

Agreed.

[ She watches curiously, like she's about to ask him something else about the story, but— ]

I think you've earned another question, if you'll have it.

[heirwithouthope]

[This woman was interesting--in the sense that she was brash, and spoke her mind without fear. He was slowly getting accustomed to it.]

Have you known others to return to their homelands?

[onblackwings]

Permanently? [ Her face darkens somewhat. ] A few.

[heirwithouthope]

[That one he decides not to let go.]

Does this trouble you?

[onblackwings]

An ally of mine returned home and abandoned me here. I wasn't pleased.

[ nevermind that she knows perfectly well there's not really any choice in it, THAT'S NOT STOPPING HER. ]

[heirwithouthope]

I apologize for your loss.

[Unless it's a dragon. And he finds out she's a dragon; then he's not sorry at all.]

[onblackwings]

Don't bother.

[ She takes a breath, soothes her anger, and looks somewhat placated when her gaze finds him again. That's something to be pissed over in her spare time, not in front of a stranger. ]

If you meant others who have returned home only to come back here again, I'm sure there are a few. I can't be bothered to remember who, so you'll have to ask around.

[heirwithouthope]

[Thorin keeps his gaze level on her, waiting for the anger to pass from her expression.]

I am sure I will find them. [They were out there. That was the most important thing to take from this.]

[onblackwings]

[ She waves a hand uncaringly. She'd been determined to find her way home at first, but after so long here, she's more interested in making the most of Exsilium. Ergo, those people, whoever they are, are not interesting. ]

I'm sure. Do you have any more stories?

[heirwithouthope]

Aye, I do.

I only lack more questions to ask you. [For the moment, at least.]

[onblackwings]

[ and hey, she actually manages to look disappointed. ]

Then our deal is over?

[heirwithouthope]

[He tilts his head and peers at her from an angle, almost as though he was trying to see through her face to her intentions.]

Do you have more information to offer?