Tests and Trials Game Thread

Sitting near the librarian and looking at her, Jaq opens, then closes his mouth again quickly, almost looking like he was about to say something.  But then he tilts he head down a bit and looks down at his knees.  He purses his lips a bit, maybe...deep in thought.  Or maybe gas from the food earlier.

Ernos chuckles at Kroshav's question, "I hardly had beliefs before, simply harm no innocents and do whatever else I can to survive.  The efreeti is self-centred, but prideful.  It has yet to ever ask me to harm any who are not villains, and I believe could be convinced not to due to the damage to one's honour doing so would bring.  Of course, I may be wrong.  Perhaps trying to dissuade my patron would simply inflame its pride."

Kroshav considers the man's words, and if a return question is not forthcoming, will ask another of his own. "If you found out afterwards that someone it asked you to hurt WAS innocent, how would you respond?"

Jaq's movement catches the Librarian's eye and she half turns towards him but when he looks down she refocuses on the questions.

The question prompts some thought from Ernos before he answers, "I am uncertain.  I should set things right, but how to do so must depend on how they were wronged."

"If you had been asked to kill one who you later learned to be innocent?"

"Then I must make amends with those who remain.  Though, I must also determine how they drew the ire of the efreeti.  It is by no means a benevolent being, but it is far from malignant also.  It seems to target only those that are an insult to its pride or those who it can build its name through."

Cladmir hoped that Kroshav will not ask him the same question, because up until recently his motivation was largely to live and to get paid.

"So its pride could drive it to do things that would knowingly harm those who did not deserve it?", an introspective Kroshav asks.

"It certainly could, yes.  Particularly if the targets have in some way injured the efreeti's pride, or if they serve another genie it had a hostile relationship with.  I believe it unlikely, though, considering I have thus far been tasked only with retrieval of artifacts and pursuing targets that I could know were villains, and it has been a matter of years since I came into the genie's employ."

Kroshav doesn't respond for a while, pondering the possibilities of pride gone too far, and how that could indeed be a bad thing for a paladin of the five, if it got to efreeti levels of pride.

"Oh, um. Anyone have any other questions for anyone?"

The Librarian stirs at that and, uncoils, turning her considerable mass in Kroshav's direction.

Without preamble she asks,

"Kroshav, why did you attack me last night?"

"I... I'm not certain. I'd been focused on trying to stop Gethren, and then he left, and... I still felt like I was fighting him, but he wasn't there... and you were. I'm worried that he did something to me before he left. And if he can do that, that he could do it again. I don't want to hurt you. But I DID want to then. I don't like not feeling in control of myself. I'm glad you bit me and shook me out of it. I'm sorry about your golems too. Is there a way to fix them?"

The Librarian's snake like tongue slides out as of her mouth, tasting the air as Kroshav answers. She lowers her head to Kroshav's level and says again,

"As I said then, you are not able to end my existence. I was not in real danger." Her eyes flick over to Joe and the rest, "Though I wonder what would have befallen others had I not been there."

Her snaky body sags, losing the tension it held.

"Very well. My apologies for doubting you. I have been alone to long perhaps. Insofar as the golems go, no. I am unable to repair them and I find myself with far fewer now than before your arrival. The defense and maintenance tasks of the archives will leave the remaining golems stretched thin."

At this point Joe coughs,

"I be asking before iffen ye be a havin' books on the makings of these golems and ye be saysing ye does. I be willing to stay on and be helping of ye make more, if ye be having me?"

The Librarian seems taken aback at the offer but after a few moments of consideration she nods,

"I would most appreciate that. Perhaps Kroshav can use those claws he recovered to gather materials? And perhaps make a seal for the entrance before the spring flooding happens?"

She seems to have moved on from the moment and is considering new plans and options.

Kroshav seems ashamed at the thought of his anger having possibly turned on Joe, but he brightens when she says she thinks she can help with making more golems.

"You really think you can, Joe? That'd be great! I can certainly help with digging up whatever stone you need, and maybe Mikram can help! Though, I don't know what his plans are after the winter."

He turns to Mikram and asks  in Dwarvish, "Hey Mikram, sorry I haven't been translating, Ernos seems an alright sort, but his boss might not be. The Librarian can't make more golems, but Joe thinks she can maybe learn how. If she can crack it, maybe she can make some golem legs for you? I don't remember what you were wanting to do after the winter passes, kinda assumed you wanted to go home, and might be able to help you get there, but I dunno, would you have an interest in helping Joe and the Librarian make golems?"

Joe nods in the affirmative,

"Ay think ay kin with some study! Ay wunna be saying no to company."

Mikram nods along to the explanation,

"Ernos? Ye mean the new guy? Who's his boss?"

He seems a bit confounded by the idea of stone legs,

"That sounds... okay aye guess? Aye can't really get home. Even if aye had legs aye wouldn't be able to make it back to an outpost by mehself. Besides the paths are gone, aye'd need to find a new way."

He thinks,

"Aye'm happy to stay on here, but aye don't know slag about golems."

Joe heads off after the Librarian and Mikram asks,

"Are we going back to the tomb to keep working? Or are we staying put in case more undead are about?"

He looks around to see what everyone is planning on doing today.

Ernos waits quietly for any follow-up questions, and after a while speaks, "Have my answers been satisfactory?  If not, I will do what I can to reassure you all."

"Joe's gonna learn, but she doesn't know stone like you do. Between the two of you, you've got a better chance of figuring it out than either of you alone!"

"I think we should stay put for today at least, they might be watching."

"That sound good to everyone? Stay in the library today, in case Gethren's lurking about outside?", Kroshav says in common.

"I'm good with your answers for now."

"If Kroshav is happy with the answers then so am I."