Nikolai is saddened but not terribly surprised by the wolf's sudden attack on Eithne. It would have been nice if it had turned out that kindness could overcome the curse on the land and its denizens. But it was not to be, at least not in this case.
He follows the others in silence back to the wagon. Noting the undead that Hornbuckle defeated, he piles the corpses together and lights them on fire. "Sometimes they come back," he says by way of explanation.
As dusk approaches, he says, "I think it better that we make camp now. Strange things wander the roads at night.'
Eithne leaps aside and yanks wildly at the noose, as the she-wolf attacks her, but at the same time the beast is felled by Pietrovich.
At the words of the hunter the savage stranger nods: "I would have been sorry to kill her without need... but she did her best to show us that there was a need indeed" and she shrugs her shoulders.
Spotting the bodies at the side of the road, the azure-eyed battler becomes curious and asks Hornbuckle: "Hey! And these? Bandits you killed? Or wayfarers who fell victim to wolves?"
When darkness begins to fall, the last of the dusk elf maidens proposes: "Shall we continue anyway? I'm not tired... but if someone needs to rest now, it's okay to stop. It wouldn't be wise to deal with any unforeseen events while weakened by the tiredness".
When Lucian entrusts her with one of the puppies, Eithne sighs: "Let's hope this one has more common sense than the mother... Oh, she's a female..." she begins to feed and per her "I'll call you Juhowly. You'll get on well with us, you'll see... each one of us, I think, has lost something. All the more reason to pack, isn't it?"
"Somehow, I have the sneaking suspicion that raising a wolf would be more Onika's thing than Nikolai's," Chara says with a giggle as she takes the puppy Lucian offers to her. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask him. Now, little one, what shall we call you...? I think... I think Cyrus would be a good name for you."
There is a trace of pain in Chara's voice when she announces her puppy's name. But it is only there for a brief moment as she tenderly holds the tiny canine.
When they're finished with their meal and packing up the cart, Chara feels a bit of relief when Lucian says that Nikolai already knows. That's one less thing to worry about, at least. But the rest of his statements...
"We're going to figure something out," the she-devil says, placing a hand reassuringly on the elf's. "We've only known each other for a short time, but I already feel that you are far stronger any curse... and I promise that I'll be here to help you if that strength ever falters."
"Oh... you think so?" Lucian says. He hadn't considered giving the last one to Onika, mostly because he hadn't had the chance to speak to her that much yet. "Well, if Nikolai doesn't want it I'll see if Onika wants it." He holds the last pup up in front of him for a moment, looking into its green eyes before setting it beside the one he plans to give to Eithne. He's glad that Chara accepted the pup, and hopes that the wolf will grow up to trust and protect her, just as he hopes for the other two to trust and protect whomever accepts them.
"Thanks," Lucian says, his voice cracking a bit in response to Chara's assurance. He had been fully prepared to be turned away by everyone...and he was prepared to leave for their safety. So having even just two of his companions accept him, and not fear him, was a relief...even if he feels like they should be afraid.
Before they finish organizing the cart, Lucian offers the remaining puppies to Eithne and Nikolai. He smiles when Eithne takes the pup and names her, nodding at her words but remaining silent.
He brings the last one to Nikolai, "Um... I thought you could have this one if you want it. I don't think its a good idea for me to raise them... So, I wanted to see if you would like to have it before offering it to Onika." He pauses, "If you don't want it I understand, Chara said she thinks Onika would be willing to raise it if you don't want to."
Once everyone is ready to go, he will help put the pups in the cart with Chara, and then take the first turn pulling the cart as well. He won't give his opinion about whether or not to camp, trusting his companions better judgement over his own. Though, he would like to stop, it would give him an opportunity to talk to Eithne about... his 'condition'.
Hearing Lucian talk about the possibility that someone doesn't want the puppy, Eithne offers: "If nobody wants it, give it to me, I'll keep that too... It won't change much for me, raising one or two. Right, Juhowly?" the savage stranger lowers her azure eyes with an unusual tenderness on her wolf cub, who howls back (maybe because 'Juhowly' is pronunced kind of like 'July', but howling in the middle, just after the 'u') "You see? She also agrees... So we will keep it, if nobody else likes to".
(I thought Nikolai responded before, but I guess I never hit "post")
The sorceror smiles kindly at Lucian. "Thank you very much, but no. Everything I've ever loved has been taken from me by the Evil of this land. I have learned not to make strong attachments, they always lead to more sorrow. Onika is not as bitter as I, I am sure she would be a better mentor for the pup."
Lucian nods in understanding, "Okay, I understand." He looks down at the pup in his arms, "I'll ask Onika then."
He turns to Eithne, "Thanks... I'll see if Onika wants it..." He glances towards Lenn, wondering if he should offer the pup to him should Onika decline. He hasn't actually spoken to the paladin yet, but he is part of their company too so it is only right for him to have the option of taking the pup should Onika refuse. "If Onika doesn't want it... then I'll see if Lenn wants it. If neither of them want him then you can have him." He has nothing against giving Eithne both pups, but he feels like having each pup with a separate owner could be advantageous.
Onika takes interest in the puppy offered to her, seemingly examining, for what is unclear. She smiles at it and gladly accepts the wolf. “Thank you, Lucian. I think that Lydel will make a lovely companion.”
Onika will help set up camp when it is time to do so, though she doesn’t really know how and isn’t actually all that helpful. Eventually she determines that her ability is best applied in making a fire at the center of camp.
Chara does her best to make herself useful setting up camp. She isn't especially strong, but she can do some manual labor if needed or use her power of flight to scout out a good campsite with at least some amount of natural defense from ambush.
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Eithne helps both to prepare the camp and to keep watch... also tonight she claims not to be very sleepy. She is willing, if necessary, to keep watch all night long (or to keep company with whoever does). In her free moments, if Juhowly is awake, she cuddles her and makes her play; if the cub sleeps instead, she keeps her near, so that she gets used to her smell.
As far as Eithne is concerned, yes. She doesn't need to eat or sleep, so in regards to food she thought everyone would eat any travel rations they bought earlier, but whatever they decide is fine for her.
She will need light to see, however, so she is perfectly happy with the fire the group lights.
Between road and woods she would prefer road, because in her opinion the road could be less frequented by ferocious creatures, but if the majority prefer woods it is not a problem.
Lucian nods gratefully to Onika, and offers a smile. He's glad that each pup will have a good owner, and he puts each of their new names to memory. Cyrus, Juhouly, and Lydel.
In terms of where to set up camp, Lucian has no objections either way. He trusts that his more experienced companions will make the right decisions in terms of where to camp.
He does whatever he can to help set up camp, gathering sticks for the fire and spreading out bedrolls.
He doesn't have any rations, so unless someone offers him some, he will go forage. ...Foraging is also an excuse to postpone talking to everyone about his...well, his issue.
Once there is nothing left for him to do, he will reluctantly take a seat beside Eithne as she plays with Juhouly. He crosses his legs and takes hold of his toes, rocking back and forth for a moment as he watches the pup. Settling down, he sends Chara an anxious glance before looking back to Eithne. "Um, I can keep watch with you if you want. I only need to meditate for a few hours, so I don't mind staying up." He looks down, picking at the stickers that had accumulated on his leg wraps during their time in the forest. If Juhowly approaches him, he will give the pup a pat on the head before turning her back around to face Eithne. "Also... I..." He trails off, unsure of how to go about bringing this up. When he'd told Chara, it had been difficult enough, but they had been discussing a topic that had--somewhat--lent him the opportunity to share his secret. Here he felt as if he was bringing it up out of nowhere, which made it even worse. ...Maybe he'd just wait until everyone else was asleep.
.... Settling down, he sends Chara an anxious glance before looking back to Eithne. "Um, I can keep watch with you if you want. I only need to meditate for a few hours, so I don't mind staying up." He looks down, picking at the stickers that had accumulated on his leg wraps during their time in the forest. If Juhowly approaches him, he will give the pup a pat on the head before turning her back around to face Eithne. "Also... I..." He trails off, unsure of how to go about bringing this up...
"Be my guest" Eithne grants "Four eyes shall see better than two".
Like every time a male dusk elf is near her, the voices in her head go wild... but the last of the dusk elf maidens tries not to show it. At least, this time she was anticipating it…
'By the way, I also kind of like him,' she thinks of Lucian 'with his shyness towards people, counterbalanced by his extraordinary empathy for animals'.
Since the other seems to have forgotten to continue after his 'Also... I...', the savage stranger looks at him with her azure eyes and asks him, curious: "Also you...?"
Then a shiver runs down her spine: 'He didn't understand, did he? He didn't recognize me as a dusk elf female... No, that's impossible! Even if he gets suspicious, he'll know we've all been killed and he'll dismiss the idea. He can't want to talk to me about this!'
The storm of voices inside her grows more and more uncontrollable, in response to her fear: 'It must be so! Flee Eithne!' 'No! He is my son! He won't hurt you! Listen to him!' 'Don't be silly Eithne! He can't have understood!' 'He will deliver you to the Devil Stradh!' 'He will lock you somewhere to keep you away from risks, and you will no longer be able to...'
Eithne is now visibly upset, but takes advantage of the conflicting opinions of the voices to decide as she sees fit. So she manages to say, in a wisp of anxious voice: "Speak, please... Whatever it is, tell me now. Please".
Lucian looks up sharply, surprised by the tone of Eithne's voice. "Oh... well... I..." He grits his teeth, "I told Chara already, and... Nikolai overheard so he knows too..." He shakes his head, looking down at Juhowly and trying to figure out how to get the words out of his mouth. He wraps his arms around himself, hunching over a little as if searching for some sort of protection. "There's a reason the wolves... trust me... I've, never dealt with that before, but, well..." He wasn't sure where he was going with that, so he trails off, grasping for some other way to start.
Letting out a long breath, he says, "I should have told you all before we left. Its just so hard for me to acknowledge it. But... And... Well... as much as I don't want any of you to be afraid of me, I also don't want to hurt anyone. You've all been so nice to me, and so...you all deserve to know..." He swallows, "I'm a... I'm a werewolf."
He closes his eyes, bringing his knees to his chest as he waits for a response.
Although the voices in her head are not at all reassured by the fact that Lucian, instead of knowing Eithne's race, is a werewolf (and therefore continue to scream conflicting advice in her mind), Eithne visibly is!
“Oh, that's just it, you're a werewolf…” the savage stranger sighs in relief.
Then she realizes that what she just said must sound strange and tries to correct, with sincere sympathy in her azure eyes: "I mean, I'm sorry, I realize that this is something that worries you a lot... but knowing you, I can assure you that you are a good and kind person. Surely the nature of the wolf is not too ingrained in you. I think you should not worry that much..."
"After all, let's think about it for a moment" the last of the dusk elf maidens invites him. "Do you have a memory of what happens to you when you transform? Do you remember what you do? Or... did you get the chance to figure it out, anyway? Do you know for sure that you are a threat, that you lose control completely? Plus, by the way, it happens only on full moon nights, does not it?"
Chara casts the Light cantrip on a small rock and offers it to Eithne as a makeshift lantern to give her a mobile light source before unfolding her bedroll next to a tree that will provide a slight bit of shelter and a solid barrier between herself and anything unpleasant that might emerge from the woods.
When everyone is eating, she offers Lucian one of her ration packs and opens another for herself, sharing a bit of the jerkie with Cyrus who devours it happily.
As she settles down for the night, she sees Lucian throwing a nervous look her way as the elf prepares to share his secret with Eithne. Chara flashes him a reassuring smile back.
"I'm right here if you need me," she tells him, before crawling into her sleeping bag with her pup. She doubts Eithne will be angered or scared by the revelation, but she watches the two elves for a time, just in case she needs to intervene and smooth things over.
Lucian offers Chara a small smile and a thanks before she heads off to sleep. He's glad to see that the pup is getting along well with her.
He is...a little confused by Eithne's relieved tone, but he is glad that she didn't give a negative reaction instead.
He calms down a bit until she starts asking questions, which causes him to shift uncomfortably, "Memories? ...not...really. I mean..." Snippets of images flash through his mind...running through the forest, howling beneath the moonlight...a bloodied figure...straining against bonds... He shakes his head, "There are pieces, but nothing more." He looks up at the sky, gazing through the trees and up at the stars. "I... don't have any sort of control. ...Sometimes there is...evidence of what happened." He shivers, "But most of the time I just...come to somewhere out in the forest. I try to get as far away from people as I can when the full moon comes, that way I don't have to worry to much. I used to have... I used to have someone who could help me restrain myself so that the wolf couldn't run rampant. But... that's hard to do by myself."He sounds troubled...and a little bitter when he mentions this other person. "If I wasn't sure I was a threat... I..." He trails off, though he almost said that he might not have been able to bring himself to tell anyone. If he had any ounce of control he would never let the wolf out at all. "And... no, it doesn't only happen on the full moon. I... well, it almost happened right after I... killed that wolf."He shifts into a cross-legged position, "If I get hurt...usually if I'm in a fight or...something else that...makes me nervous. It tries to take over. It even tries to come out sometimes if I get terribly frightened or angry. But... Usually if I can take a moment to meditate I can keep that from happening...but I'm worried that if I get wounded, that...well I might turn. And if that happens I just want you all to be ready. It...won't be me anymore. So, if that happens...don't worry about me, just... do whatever it takes to make sure I don't hurt any of you. Even if that means killing me." He pauses, this time to emphasize that he was serious.
The words had come tumbling from his mouth once he'd started talking, and it felt like almost a relief to share with someone again.
"I've noticed that I seem to be... resistant to some types of damage," He pulls out a dagger and pricks the tip of his finger. A single bead of blood appears, then he wipes it away revealing that there is no wound beneath--as if it healed within seconds. "I don't bruise easily either,"he gives a nervous chuckle, thinking of all the times that came in handy while out in the streets. "Of course that doesn't really help me much if every time I get into a fight I lose control anyways. ...Well, not every time, I've managed to keep it contained for months... aside from the full moon..." He returns to his former disposition, lowering his head and putting the dagger back onto his belt. "I don't have a choice on the full moon. No matter how hard I try or how far ahead of time I start meditating. I can't stop it."
"I signed that paper because I want to help fight Strahd. I hate him I hate him just as much if not more then...this curse," His voice shakes a little, and he wraps his hand around the pocket watch as if to reassure himself. "I want to do my part, but not at the expense of all of you."
He pauses, then looks up abruptly as if something just occurred to him, "You know what? Something else I noticed once, was... well, there was this guy who...well I was looking for work, but he thought I was begging. He got mad and... well... he thew a silver coin at me to try and get me to leave...and... man that hurt." He rubs his forehead as if remembering the impact, "I've never had a bruise like that since. So, maybe if any of you have any silver then that could help..."
...He pauses, then looks up abruptly as if something just occurred to him, "You know what? Something else I noticed once, was... well, there was this guy who...well I was looking for work, but he thought I was begging. He got mad and... well... he thew a silver coin at me to try and get me to leave...and... man that hurt." He rubs his forehead as if remembering the impact, "I've never had a bruise like that since. So, maybe if any of you have any silver then that could help..."
"Lucian..." Eithne shakes her head "that could help to harm you; but that's not our purpose. No, we'll keep in mind what you said, but I don't think that killing one of the few allies we have (not to mention one of the nicest persons I know) it would be a good idea".
"During full moon nights," reflects the savage stranger "we can try different things, to avoid that you have to leave alone. As a werewolf you may be fierce, but one bad night you may also encounter something beyond your strength... Or you could being attacked by something while you're still alone, freshly transformed back into an elf, before you can reach us. I'd like to spare you that risk. We can get you some chains to tie you up at that time, if it doesn't bother you too much, sure. But might be even better to bury you in the earth, just leaving your neck and head out. A long process, maybe, but a safe one, knowing in advance that we have to do it: however strong you become, you could never free yourself - you would not have leverage to apply your strength".
"If it happens to you while we're fighting, however, it can get more complicated" admits the last of the dusk elf maidens. "But not terrible, still, I think. No matter how beastly you become, you won't become stupid: if you transform because someone hit you... you will attack they first, I suppose, rather than us, who didn't hurt you! So we should have way first of all to help you fight (to avoid leaving you alone to die). After the fight... we'll see. I don't know how a werewolf behaves, with those who have just helped him in combat. You may not attack us. Or we might be able to placate you with food. Over time, you may perceive us as part of your pack even when you're in werewolf form, maybe... who knows? Only by trying will we find out. However, even if you were to try to kill us at all costs, we could immobilize you, or knock you out , or run away until you transform back... Come on! After all, we're looking for the solution to a huge problem, like the cursed fate of Barovia... and should we let a problem that, serious as it is, is smaller than that... scare us? We'll find a way to cope with it, you'll see"she confidently rests a hand on the monk's shoulder. "And one day we might even discover a cure".
"What we started..." Eithne searches for the right words, staring her azure eyes into the other's "We couldn't have started it, if we weren't willing to hope, to believe. And probably, we won't be able to accomplish it, if we lose that ability. So" she manages to smile "let's try to always keep hope!"
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Nikolai is saddened but not terribly surprised by the wolf's sudden attack on Eithne. It would have been nice if it had turned out that kindness could overcome the curse on the land and its denizens. But it was not to be, at least not in this case.
He follows the others in silence back to the wagon. Noting the undead that Hornbuckle defeated, he piles the corpses together and lights them on fire. "Sometimes they come back," he says by way of explanation.
As dusk approaches, he says, "I think it better that we make camp now. Strange things wander the roads at night.'
Eithne leaps aside and yanks wildly at the noose, as the she-wolf attacks her, but at the same time the beast is felled by Pietrovich.
At the words of the hunter the savage stranger nods: "I would have been sorry to kill her without need... but she did her best to show us that there was a need indeed" and she shrugs her shoulders.
Spotting the bodies at the side of the road, the azure-eyed battler becomes curious and asks Hornbuckle: "Hey! And these? Bandits you killed? Or wayfarers who fell victim to wolves?"
When darkness begins to fall, the last of the dusk elf maidens proposes: "Shall we continue anyway? I'm not tired... but if someone needs to rest now, it's okay to stop. It wouldn't be wise to deal with any unforeseen events while weakened by the tiredness".
When Lucian entrusts her with one of the puppies, Eithne sighs: "Let's hope this one has more common sense than the mother... Oh, she's a female..." she begins to feed and per her "I'll call you Juhowly. You'll get on well with us, you'll see... each one of us, I think, has lost something. All the more reason to pack, isn't it?"
"Somehow, I have the sneaking suspicion that raising a wolf would be more Onika's thing than Nikolai's," Chara says with a giggle as she takes the puppy Lucian offers to her. "But I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask him. Now, little one, what shall we call you...? I think... I think Cyrus would be a good name for you."
There is a trace of pain in Chara's voice when she announces her puppy's name. But it is only there for a brief moment as she tenderly holds the tiny canine.
When they're finished with their meal and packing up the cart, Chara feels a bit of relief when Lucian says that Nikolai already knows. That's one less thing to worry about, at least. But the rest of his statements...
"We're going to figure something out," the she-devil says, placing a hand reassuringly on the elf's. "We've only known each other for a short time, but I already feel that you are far stronger any curse... and I promise that I'll be here to help you if that strength ever falters."
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"Oh... you think so?" Lucian says. He hadn't considered giving the last one to Onika, mostly because he hadn't had the chance to speak to her that much yet. "Well, if Nikolai doesn't want it I'll see if Onika wants it." He holds the last pup up in front of him for a moment, looking into its green eyes before setting it beside the one he plans to give to Eithne. He's glad that Chara accepted the pup, and hopes that the wolf will grow up to trust and protect her, just as he hopes for the other two to trust and protect whomever accepts them.
"Thanks," Lucian says, his voice cracking a bit in response to Chara's assurance. He had been fully prepared to be turned away by everyone...and he was prepared to leave for their safety. So having even just two of his companions accept him, and not fear him, was a relief...even if he feels like they should be afraid.
Before they finish organizing the cart, Lucian offers the remaining puppies to Eithne and Nikolai. He smiles when Eithne takes the pup and names her, nodding at her words but remaining silent.
He brings the last one to Nikolai, "Um... I thought you could have this one if you want it. I don't think its a good idea for me to raise them... So, I wanted to see if you would like to have it before offering it to Onika." He pauses, "If you don't want it I understand, Chara said she thinks Onika would be willing to raise it if you don't want to."
Once everyone is ready to go, he will help put the pups in the cart with Chara, and then take the first turn pulling the cart as well. He won't give his opinion about whether or not to camp, trusting his companions better judgement over his own. Though, he would like to stop, it would give him an opportunity to talk to Eithne about... his 'condition'.
Hearing Lucian talk about the possibility that someone doesn't want the puppy, Eithne offers: "If nobody wants it, give it to me, I'll keep that too... It won't change much for me, raising one or two. Right, Juhowly?" the savage stranger lowers her azure eyes with an unusual tenderness on her wolf cub, who howls back (maybe because 'Juhowly' is pronunced kind of like 'July', but howling in the middle, just after the 'u') "You see? She also agrees... So we will keep it, if nobody else likes to".
(I thought Nikolai responded before, but I guess I never hit "post")
The sorceror smiles kindly at Lucian. "Thank you very much, but no. Everything I've ever loved has been taken from me by the Evil of this land. I have learned not to make strong attachments, they always lead to more sorrow. Onika is not as bitter as I, I am sure she would be a better mentor for the pup."
Lucian nods in understanding, "Okay, I understand." He looks down at the pup in his arms, "I'll ask Onika then."
He turns to Eithne, "Thanks... I'll see if Onika wants it..." He glances towards Lenn, wondering if he should offer the pup to him should Onika decline. He hasn't actually spoken to the paladin yet, but he is part of their company too so it is only right for him to have the option of taking the pup should Onika refuse. "If Onika doesn't want it... then I'll see if Lenn wants it. If neither of them want him then you can have him." He has nothing against giving Eithne both pups, but he feels like having each pup with a separate owner could be advantageous.
He approaches Onika, and offers her the puppy.
Onika takes interest in the puppy offered to her, seemingly examining, for what is unclear. She smiles at it and gladly accepts the wolf. “Thank you, Lucian. I think that Lydel will make a lovely companion.”
Onika will help set up camp when it is time to do so, though she doesn’t really know how and isn’t actually all that helpful. Eventually she determines that her ability is best applied in making a fire at the center of camp.
Chara does her best to make herself useful setting up camp. She isn't especially strong, but she can do some manual labor if needed or use her power of flight to scout out a good campsite with at least some amount of natural defense from ambush.
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Eithne helps both to prepare the camp and to keep watch... also tonight she claims not to be very sleepy. She is willing, if necessary, to keep watch all night long (or to keep company with whoever does). In her free moments, if Juhowly is awake, she cuddles her and makes her play; if the cub sleeps instead, she keeps her near, so that she gets used to her smell.
(When you set up camp, I need to know the following:
1. Fire: yes or no?
2. Watch: if, who, and when
3. What do you eat? Do you hunt, fish, or forage?
4. In this case, by the road or in the woods? Do you look for a clearing or just among the trees?
Right now, it looks like you'll have a fire, and Eithne will keep watch all night. Is that accurate?)
Tamryn - lvl 4 Wood Elf Rogue - Circle of Light Campaign || Drusilla - lvl 1 Half-Elf Ranger - Sleeping Gods || Grrzark - lvl 1 Goblin Barbarian - Danger at Darkshelf Quarry || DM - LTG - Curse of Strahd
As far as Eithne is concerned, yes. She doesn't need to eat or sleep, so in regards to food she thought everyone would eat any travel rations they bought earlier, but whatever they decide is fine for her.
She will need light to see, however, so she is perfectly happy with the fire the group lights.
Between road and woods she would prefer road, because in her opinion the road could be less frequented by ferocious creatures, but if the majority prefer woods it is not a problem.
Lucian nods gratefully to Onika, and offers a smile. He's glad that each pup will have a good owner, and he puts each of their new names to memory. Cyrus, Juhouly, and Lydel.
In terms of where to set up camp, Lucian has no objections either way. He trusts that his more experienced companions will make the right decisions in terms of where to camp.
He does whatever he can to help set up camp, gathering sticks for the fire and spreading out bedrolls.
He doesn't have any rations, so unless someone offers him some, he will go forage. ...Foraging is also an excuse to postpone talking to everyone about his...well, his issue.
Once there is nothing left for him to do, he will reluctantly take a seat beside Eithne as she plays with Juhouly. He crosses his legs and takes hold of his toes, rocking back and forth for a moment as he watches the pup. Settling down, he sends Chara an anxious glance before looking back to Eithne. "Um, I can keep watch with you if you want. I only need to meditate for a few hours, so I don't mind staying up." He looks down, picking at the stickers that had accumulated on his leg wraps during their time in the forest. If Juhowly approaches him, he will give the pup a pat on the head before turning her back around to face Eithne. "Also... I..." He trails off, unsure of how to go about bringing this up. When he'd told Chara, it had been difficult enough, but they had been discussing a topic that had--somewhat--lent him the opportunity to share his secret. Here he felt as if he was bringing it up out of nowhere, which made it even worse. ...Maybe he'd just wait until everyone else was asleep.
"Be my guest" Eithne grants "Four eyes shall see better than two".
Like every time a male dusk elf is near her, the voices in her head go wild... but the last of the dusk elf maidens tries not to show it. At least, this time she was anticipating it…
'By the way, I also kind of like him,' she thinks of Lucian 'with his shyness towards people, counterbalanced by his extraordinary empathy for animals'.
Since the other seems to have forgotten to continue after his 'Also... I...', the savage stranger looks at him with her azure eyes and asks him, curious: "Also you...?"
Then a shiver runs down her spine: 'He didn't understand, did he? He didn't recognize me as a dusk elf female... No, that's impossible! Even if he gets suspicious, he'll know we've all been killed and he'll dismiss the idea. He can't want to talk to me about this!'
The storm of voices inside her grows more and more uncontrollable, in response to her fear:
'It must be so! Flee Eithne!'
'No! He is my son! He won't hurt you! Listen to him!'
'Don't be silly Eithne! He can't have understood!'
'He will deliver you to the Devil Stradh!'
'He will lock you somewhere to keep you away from risks, and you will no longer be able to...'
Eithne is now visibly upset, but takes advantage of the conflicting opinions of the voices to decide as she sees fit. So she manages to say, in a wisp of anxious voice: "Speak, please... Whatever it is, tell me now. Please".
Lucian looks up sharply, surprised by the tone of Eithne's voice. "Oh... well... I..." He grits his teeth, "I told Chara already, and... Nikolai overheard so he knows too..." He shakes his head, looking down at Juhowly and trying to figure out how to get the words out of his mouth. He wraps his arms around himself, hunching over a little as if searching for some sort of protection. "There's a reason the wolves... trust me... I've, never dealt with that before, but, well..." He wasn't sure where he was going with that, so he trails off, grasping for some other way to start.
Letting out a long breath, he says, "I should have told you all before we left. Its just so hard for me to acknowledge it. But... And... Well... as much as I don't want any of you to be afraid of me, I also don't want to hurt anyone. You've all been so nice to me, and so...you all deserve to know..." He swallows, "I'm a... I'm a werewolf."
He closes his eyes, bringing his knees to his chest as he waits for a response.
Although the voices in her head are not at all reassured by the fact that Lucian, instead of knowing Eithne's race, is a werewolf (and therefore continue to scream conflicting advice in her mind), Eithne visibly is!
“Oh, that's just it, you're a werewolf…” the savage stranger sighs in relief.
Then she realizes that what she just said must sound strange and tries to correct, with sincere sympathy in her azure eyes: "I mean, I'm sorry, I realize that this is something that worries you a lot... but knowing you, I can assure you that you are a good and kind person. Surely the nature of the wolf is not too ingrained in you. I think you should not worry that much..."
"After all, let's think about it for a moment" the last of the dusk elf maidens invites him. "Do you have a memory of what happens to you when you transform? Do you remember what you do? Or... did you get the chance to figure it out, anyway? Do you know for sure that you are a threat, that you lose control completely? Plus, by the way, it happens only on full moon nights, does not it?"
Chara casts the Light cantrip on a small rock and offers it to Eithne as a makeshift lantern to give her a mobile light source before unfolding her bedroll next to a tree that will provide a slight bit of shelter and a solid barrier between herself and anything unpleasant that might emerge from the woods.
When everyone is eating, she offers Lucian one of her ration packs and opens another for herself, sharing a bit of the jerkie with Cyrus who devours it happily.
As she settles down for the night, she sees Lucian throwing a nervous look her way as the elf prepares to share his secret with Eithne. Chara flashes him a reassuring smile back.
"I'm right here if you need me," she tells him, before crawling into her sleeping bag with her pup. She doubts Eithne will be angered or scared by the revelation, but she watches the two elves for a time, just in case she needs to intervene and smooth things over.
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"Thank you, dear!" the last of the dusk elf maidens gladly accepts "It's beautiful - and useful, of course".
Lucian offers Chara a small smile and a thanks before she heads off to sleep. He's glad to see that the pup is getting along well with her.
He is...a little confused by Eithne's relieved tone, but he is glad that she didn't give a negative reaction instead.
He calms down a bit until she starts asking questions, which causes him to shift uncomfortably, "Memories? ...not...really. I mean..." Snippets of images flash through his mind...running through the forest, howling beneath the moonlight...a bloodied figure...straining against bonds... He shakes his head, "There are pieces, but nothing more." He looks up at the sky, gazing through the trees and up at the stars. "I... don't have any sort of control. ...Sometimes there is...evidence of what happened." He shivers, "But most of the time I just...come to somewhere out in the forest. I try to get as far away from people as I can when the full moon comes, that way I don't have to worry to much. I used to have... I used to have someone who could help me restrain myself so that the wolf couldn't run rampant. But... that's hard to do by myself." He sounds troubled...and a little bitter when he mentions this other person. "If I wasn't sure I was a threat... I..." He trails off, though he almost said that he might not have been able to bring himself to tell anyone. If he had any ounce of control he would never let the wolf out at all. "And... no, it doesn't only happen on the full moon. I... well, it almost happened right after I... killed that wolf." He shifts into a cross-legged position, "If I get hurt...usually if I'm in a fight or...something else that...makes me nervous. It tries to take over. It even tries to come out sometimes if I get terribly frightened or angry. But... Usually if I can take a moment to meditate I can keep that from happening...but I'm worried that if I get wounded, that...well I might turn. And if that happens I just want you all to be ready. It...won't be me anymore. So, if that happens...don't worry about me, just... do whatever it takes to make sure I don't hurt any of you. Even if that means killing me." He pauses, this time to emphasize that he was serious.
The words had come tumbling from his mouth once he'd started talking, and it felt like almost a relief to share with someone again.
"I've noticed that I seem to be... resistant to some types of damage," He pulls out a dagger and pricks the tip of his finger. A single bead of blood appears, then he wipes it away revealing that there is no wound beneath--as if it healed within seconds. "I don't bruise easily either," he gives a nervous chuckle, thinking of all the times that came in handy while out in the streets. "Of course that doesn't really help me much if every time I get into a fight I lose control anyways. ...Well, not every time, I've managed to keep it contained for months... aside from the full moon..." He returns to his former disposition, lowering his head and putting the dagger back onto his belt. "I don't have a choice on the full moon. No matter how hard I try or how far ahead of time I start meditating. I can't stop it."
"I signed that paper because I want to help fight Strahd. I hate him I hate him just as much if not more then...this curse," His voice shakes a little, and he wraps his hand around the pocket watch as if to reassure himself. "I want to do my part, but not at the expense of all of you."
He pauses, then looks up abruptly as if something just occurred to him, "You know what? Something else I noticed once, was... well, there was this guy who...well I was looking for work, but he thought I was begging. He got mad and... well... he thew a silver coin at me to try and get me to leave...and... man that hurt." He rubs his forehead as if remembering the impact, "I've never had a bruise like that since. So, maybe if any of you have any silver then that could help..."
"Lucian..." Eithne shakes her head "that could help to harm you; but that's not our purpose. No, we'll keep in mind what you said, but I don't think that killing one of the few allies we have (not to mention one of the nicest persons I know) it would be a good idea".
"During full moon nights," reflects the savage stranger "we can try different things, to avoid that you have to leave alone. As a werewolf you may be fierce, but one bad night you may also encounter something beyond your strength... Or you could being attacked by something while you're still alone, freshly transformed back into an elf, before you can reach us. I'd like to spare you that risk. We can get you some chains to tie you up at that time, if it doesn't bother you too much, sure. But might be even better to bury you in the earth, just leaving your neck and head out. A long process, maybe, but a safe one, knowing in advance that we have to do it: however strong you become, you could never free yourself - you would not have leverage to apply your strength".
"If it happens to you while we're fighting, however, it can get more complicated" admits the last of the dusk elf maidens. "But not terrible, still, I think. No matter how beastly you become, you won't become stupid: if you transform because someone hit you... you will attack they first, I suppose, rather than us, who didn't hurt you! So we should have way first of all to help you fight (to avoid leaving you alone to die). After the fight... we'll see. I don't know how a werewolf behaves, with those who have just helped him in combat. You may not attack us. Or we might be able to placate you with food. Over time, you may perceive us as part of your pack even when you're in werewolf form, maybe... who knows? Only by trying will we find out. However, even if you were to try to kill us at all costs, we could immobilize you, or knock you out , or run away until you transform back... Come on! After all, we're looking for the solution to a huge problem, like the cursed fate of Barovia... and should we let a problem that, serious as it is, is smaller than that... scare us? We'll find a way to cope with it, you'll see" she confidently rests a hand on the monk's shoulder. "And one day we might even discover a cure".
"What we started..." Eithne searches for the right words, staring her azure eyes into the other's "We couldn't have started it, if we weren't willing to hope, to believe. And probably, we won't be able to accomplish it, if we lose that ability. So" she manages to smile "let's try to always keep hope!"