Words With Friends

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Closed to Tobias Muh-Fuh Stalt.

With all that had transpired within the Crimson Hands over the past couple weeks, I needed to get out. I needed to get away. It was just too stressful. I love--well, love is always too strong of a word, so let's go with mostly respect and kindly tolerate.

I mostly respect and kindly tolerate the whole lot of them, but sometimes a good coup puts everyone on edge and you just need to disappear for a few days. Recharge the ol' mana batteries.

So, I took a trip back to Tirel, on the eastern coast of Salvar. I had business to conduct there anyway, and I needed to make sure that Nell was doing alright on her own. I had kept in contact with messenger birds and merchant caravans over the months ever since I joined the shadowy group, electing to leave her in the port city in order to guarantee her safety. It sure would be nice to see her again. I do hope she's keeping up with her tinkering and alchemy...

It was a beautiful, crisp day. The sun was bright overhead, with little wispy trails of fair weather clouds scattered in the skies. It was a very nice change of pace from the barren, windy, freezing hellhole that the Crimson Hands were headquartered in up in the Skavian Wilds.

Dozens of people were out and about in the main thoroughfare towards the ports, looking to get some mid-afternoon shopping done. I had a light wool coat on as well as a pair of black gloves in order to hide my briar-knit limbs. A little concealer makeup was dabbed around my eyes, to make the plague trails look more like simple circles caused by a lack of sleep. I had made some stops around various shops, armories, and the merchant's guild in hopes of securing some business contracts with the Order. Some of the Hands could not be persuaded to join my cause in overthrowing Lichensith; and once the inevitable came to pass, we lost just a smidge of manpower within the Hands of the Forge. And by smidge, I mean most.

But, we'll be fine without them. I have some plans floating around in my mind that are going to make sure that we'll be seeing enough coin come in that we will no longer need that faction within the Order. Yes, our forces will remain armed and armored with the highest-quality regardless of the Forge's departure.

It was getting close to four o' clock when I decided to stop off at a tavern for a quick bite to eat. It was a wonderful little place near some of the bigger markets whose name I never can quite seem to remember. I exchanged pleasantries with the older woman behind the counter, who seemed overjoyed to see me back in town. We chatted up current events within Tirel and exchanged a bit of gossip like a couple of old hens while she prepared a small turkey sandwich.

I thanked her and took the meal outside in order to soak in the sun's rays and enjoy the nice afternoon. I took a bite. Delicious, as usual, but just a little dry. I felt a piece of shredded lettuce firmly lodge itself between my teeth.

I reclined in the wooden chair and made myself content to watch the people going about their business. One man, a dock worker by the looks of his build and clothing, was escorting two children back home in time for their own meals. Two young women, possibly not even twenty yet, walked arm in arm and giggled with each other over some secret joke. A man almost as tall as myself walked by, walking with purpose but with a paranoid look in his golden eyes--

--Oh, shit. I nearly choked on another bite of my sandwich. I know that man. Under Lichensith's rule, he was on the kill on sight list for some stupid reason, as was everyone else who even so much as looked at the assassin sideways.

I cupped my gloved hands around my mouth and shouted at him. "Hey! Tobias!"

[Tobias Stalt]

Chill air ripped through Tobias as he rubbed his hands feverishly together. He'd only just managed to wash the last of a bloody mess from them, and the burn still bit at him. Echoes of the pain that tore into flesh and seared to bone gripped his being with unpleasant fits of shaking. He was unused to the darker circles of magic, but the killer that had accosted him had gotten him well acquainted.

Tobias had made the mistake of letting his guard down once, and tainted flesh scarred by the mage's black blood stood silent testament to the failed attempt on his life. His eyes danced from side to side, frantic. Blasts of steam tore from his lips as his chest rose and fell with urgency. The rest of the world seemed uncaring toward his plight, and the eyes that found him quickly searched for something else.

A harsh truth of the world, Tobias had learned, was that no one wanted to watch another suffer. At least, no one good. People believed that problems went away if you ignored them. It was true of everyone else's problems but one's own. Laughter and exclamations of excitement shook the marketplace and Tobias slammed into a column, though it seemed far more immune to the impact than he did.

His hand groped at the pillar and he watched a troupe of musicians without any skill warble and play earsplitting tunes; the sound of a mangled "Save the King of Salvar" likened Tobias' features to those he'd had after drinking curdled milk. His gaze shifted to a small songbird, tweeting along to the song and offering something halfway good, only to be ruined by a crowd indifferent and boisterous.

The moment it took to compose himself was destroyed when a young girl, giggling with her friends, flashed Tobias a wry smirk. His lurid eyes tore into her and savaged her in a way no one deserved, and her mouth gaped. With the realization that she meant him no harm, his face twisted into a mask of apology, but the damage had been done. Hello darkness, my old friend...

The girl and her friends had sitter away, tittering like the songbird he'd seen just moments before. Whatever the said about him was well earned. His guard had dropped for only a moment, but when he heard his name called out, his blood ran cold. "Today just isn't my day," he gagged through the spittle that had choked up with his terror.

Tobias' head turned slowly toward the source of his name, called aloud over a large crowd. Thankfully, such happenings were normal at market, so no eyes had followed to find him or his mysterious speaker. One hand planted firmly on the hilt of a long knife, the young man wove through the crowd quickly and quietly, toward the woman who had called to him.

A woman, Tobias observed, who he did not know. "You know my name," he said honestly, "but I can't say I've had the pleasure." His hand did not leave the weapon, still wary. He doubted that she meant him harm, calling outright as she had. Tobias was simply not a trusting man. Far less, current events considered.

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

I honestly should not have been surprised that Stalt didn't know me, or recognize me, or what have you. We barely crossed paths as operatives of the Order of the Crimson Hand, but once he was labeled a traitor during the events of the Eiskalt War, we all knew who he was. He was made a priority target who was to be killed on sight.

But not anymore, if I have anything to say about it--which, of course, I do. Every man and woman is a valuable resource, if they can be shown that they are valued. Tobias' records showed that he was a competent, capable fighter. I very much would like for him to return to the ranks of the group of ne'er-do-wells that I now preside over.

I smiled at him warmly. "I'm surprised you don't know me, considering our little bit of shared history within the Crimson Hand. Madison Freebird... And the pleasure is all mine." I extended a gloved hand towards him, just to make the introductions official. The wanted man's golden eyes flickered many different, conflicting emotions as he looked down at my hand, expecting a trap or a hidden blade where there were neither.

His lip curled up in disgust. "Crimson Hand? And you haven't tried to kill me yet? Your... friend just did." His hand came to a rest on the wrapped hilt of a short sword that was sheathed at his side, and he was prepared to whip it out at any second to defend himself.

I closed my hand into a loose fist and retracted the friendly gesture. Bitch, I thought sourly, if I wanted to kill you I would've dragged you into an alleyway and snapped your neck in broad daylight, and nobody would've heard or seen a gods-damned thing. Hidden by the surface of the battered wooden table, a thin vine snaked out from underneath my pant leg and crept towards his ankle, keeping just inches away. Just in case he decided to make a break for it or anything.

In spite of the sudden rude turn of the conversation, my smile remained unbroken. "And I'm assuming you've dealt with them? That's... unfortunate. It appears that my messenger ravens didn't reach everyone." I shook my head. That's one more person than I was willing to lose, but can you really blame Stalt for his actions? The guy's on a hit list, after all.

He tilted his head slightly. "What are you talking about?"

My grin turned slightly more devious. "That's exactly what I'd like to chat about. Please, sit down. Many things have happened since you bailed, and I'd like to talk to you for a bit." I gestured towards the wicker chair that sat across from me.

"Do I have a choice," Stalt asked, his voice low with brewing irritation.

"Not really, no." I wrapped the length of vine around his ankle and squeezed lightly, letting him know that he really did not have a say in the matter. The wanted man jolted and wrapped his fingers tightly around the hilt of his sword, his knuckles turning white as he looked around frantically. "Please, Tobias. Take a seat."

[Tobias Stalt]

He could see from this distance that her face was caked with makeup, though it was expertly and meticulously layered. Whatever she meant to hide was beyond his ability to discern. The creeping sensation that jolted up his leg drew his gaze downward. A vine? Where in Hromagh's hot hell did that come from? "I'd feel more comfortable standing," he grated. The look on her face twisted into a scowl of annoyance.

"Sit," she spat icily. The vine tightened around his ankle and jerked hard, and Tobias grabbed the chair to break his fall. He seated himself with as much decorum as he could muster while his teeth gnashed. "You've been running for quite some time," Madison calmly spoke, her demeanor returning to its formerly composed state. She took another bite of her sandwich, eyes gently locked on the young man. "A lot has happened since the war."

"I imagine so," he responded curtly. Tobias managed to keep his urges toward disrespect in check, but sarcasm seeped through unbidden. "If you're not trying to kill me, I imagine you fancy me useful." His gaze was distant as he ruminated about what news she might have brought with her.

Madison chewed her food quietly as Tobias spoke, and once he finished, she swallowed. "You're smarter than you act," she commented wryly, referring to the hand that still rested on his knife. "But there's more to it than that. Care for a drink?" she offered harmlessly.

"I vaguely remember hearing your name around the briefings, from Lye," Tobias admitted. "Nothing concrete. Something about spoiled rations." He strained to recall the significance of her name, or any clue as to what she was capable of. All he was able to deduce dealt with the poison he'd secreted into Eiskalt and unleashed on the populace. If that had been in any part her handiwork, this was a devious and cunning woman. His face betrayed no hint toward his feelings on the matter. "Lye," he continued, "the reason we're here, eh?"

She clapped her hands. "Exactly," Madison cut to the chase. "Lichensith Ulroke. Lye. The man at the helm of the Hand- formerly, of course." Bright blue eyes sparkled with amusement at the obvious impact of her words. "Things have happened, Tobias. That's what I'm trying to tell you. I'm not here to kill you."

He was stricken dumb. "But, that assassin-"

"-acted on an order that had not been overturned at the time. Unfortunate though that is, you're alive. That means something salvageable has come of it." She reached up and brushed a string of black hair out of her face and flashed Tobias a small smile. "Now," she snapped, "can we talk business, or are you going to fumble with that dagger all afternoon?"

As if on command, Tobi quit his grip on the blade. He knew it was obvious, but her saying it made him feel stupid. "Fine," he conceded. "I'll have an ale." Freebird raised a gloved hand and moments later, a waiter brought forth a pitcher of the frothy, golden drink. The market around them shifted and swam with business. Colors ranging from blue to red and everything imaginable were sewn into tapestries that hung limp on walls to one side. Humans, elves, dwarves and even the occasional orc walked by. Tobias poured himself a cup and took a sip. "Alright. Business."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Stalt's drink could not have come soon enough for my tastes. He had been playing around with the hilt of his dagger the entire time I've been trying to get him to sit his ass down so we could talk. I wasn't nervous, per se; I damn well could've taken him out had he made a move against me, but I really had no intention of doing so--even with his current sour attitude (which I guess was totally justified, given that Lichensith handed down the orders to have him killed).

I clasped my vine-woven hands together and set them on the table. "Yes, business. I'm going to fill you in on what you've missed, that way you have some sort of context. After the Eiskalt War--no, that's the wrong word. After the Eiskalt Debacle, what remained of the Order returned to Salvar with their tails between their legs. Putting it plainly, you weren't the only one who abandoned us. Lye abandoned us to go chase around an Ixian Knight; Jensen Ambrose, I don't know if you've heard of him."

I waved a gloved hand dismissively in the air. "But anyway, our Dear Leader left us on the battlefield, without orders and without leadership. Others within the Order pulled out as quick as they could, sensing that our cause was already lost. They were lucky, or smart, I can't decide which. And then there were people like myself, who tried to pull together the remnants of those left behind to still do what we could." I arched an eyebrow at him. "What did you say you hear? Something about spoiled rations?"

Tobias took another tentative sip of his frothy, amber drink. "That's all I heard regarding your actions, yes."

"I spoiled a lot more than mere rations, that's for sure," I said with a bit of a smirk. I wonder if the former Hand had heard in his travels about the plague that continued to rip through Eiskalt, causing unending pain and suffering while we sat here sharing drinks and sandwiches. Tales of me and my band of Blades traversing the countryside, ravaging crops and refugee camps were on the tip of my tongue, but this wasn't the time for braggartry. "But let's skip that and go back to our collective limping back to the Skavian Wilds, shall we?

"We eventually all pulled out of Eiskalt, battered, demoralized, broken. Lye held a meeting with all of the survivors, and expressed his displeasure at the fact that we were pissed with him. 'How dare you be upset that I left you all to die on the battlefield? How dare you not understand my grand plans and devious machinations?'" I rolled my eyes. I could feel my blood pressure rising remembering that meeting, and how he killed the woman who shouted him down about his vast idiocy.

"What a dick. So anyway, in order to raise morale and squash any potential insurrection, he organizes this... this tournament." My smile had long since dissolved into a sneer. "Every man in the Crimson Hand was to fight each other for his amusement. Because apparently making friends and cohorts beat the shit out of each other makes people love and respect you after you've already fucked up big time."

Tobias rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward slightly. "I'm assuming that didn't go over as well as he had hoped."

I decided to leave out the parts involving the fiery aftermath of Lye's fight with one Orlouge and the murder of a second one in his chambers. "No, not at all, to put it lightly. During the second round of his silly tournament, there was a coup. There were a few who opted to stay out of it, their loyalty to that fucker unwavering in spite of everything that happened. But they also did not interfere, because they knew they were outnumbered and out-classed, and that it wouldn't end well for them.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to recall all the important details of that whirlwind storm of blood, shouting, anger, and fists. "Lye was eventually subdued and forced from his throne. He is no longer in charge of the Crimson Hand."

"Did you kill him?" Stalt's golden eyes twinkled with a spark of vengeance.

I shook my head. "No, we did not. We--or I, at the very least, did not want him dead."

"Why not?"

"Death doesn't send a message," I said with a shrug. "If I simply wanted him dead, we would've killed him a long time ago. And we all know that he deserves it. But, I've been able to convince the others--at the very least, the ones that matter--that killing Lye would be no use to us. We've locked him up, we've disabled him, and we've taken everything he's worked so hard for away from him. We've broken him. We've disheartened him. Tell me, which one seems more effective to you?"

Tobias seemed to contemplate this bit for a few seconds. "But who is in charge now?"

I simply smiled. "I am. Which brings me back to why I'd like to talk to you right now. You see, like I said, I don't think killing anyone serves a purpose, and it does nobody any favors. Which is why I would like to make you an offer. I've already sent word--word that it seems not everyone has gotten--that everyone on the 'kill on sight' list is absolved of their crimes. We're starting fresh with everyone. And I happen to think that a man of your particular talents and skills is always welcome within the organization. Which is why I would like to offer you a position within the Crimson Hands once again."

[Tobias Stalt]

As his drink sloshed idly in hand, Tobias rested his cheek against the other palm. He allowed her words to saturate. Lye was deposed. How utterly rich. Madison and her band of Hands had taken a man obsessed with his own mad legend and stripped him of the power he had worked so long and hard to collect. His lips stretched in a wide yet wicked smile, cold as Salvar itself. "I like you, Miss Freebird," Tobias told her. "You say the most riveting things."

Tobias folded his hands neatly on the table and their eyes locked with intensity. It was not a sense of emotional connection, nor was it some surreal sexual tension. They shared a silent moment of mutual appreciation for the woman's tactful insurrection. "If you promise to punish him justly, I have no personal quarrel left with Ulroke. Let's... call it a fair trade."

Madison's lips twisted into a tight smile. "And your position on rejoining the Order?" she asked.

"Ah, yes. That." Tobias let his eyes sweep across the table, and they rested on her half eaten sandwich. He heard an outcry of 'thief!' from somewhere in the distance, and he glanced up absently. The crowd still swam, perhaps more busily than it had before he took his seat. Mild midday sun spilled over the streets and the distinct aroma of fresh baked sweet buns washed over his nostrils. Tobias licked his lips. "That's a bit more precarious than my vendetta against Lye, I'm afraid," Tobias admitted finally.

Her smile had faded. "Elaborate."

Tobias smiled warmly up at the woman, though she gave no hint as to her own thoughts. "My father taught me once the secrets to keeping a shop. He plied his trade every day as a Merchant, and on the best of nights, we ate like Kings." He let his hands fall gently into his lap, and his head bowed. "There were nights when we survived on stale bread and foul water."

Madison watched him thoughtfully. Tobias felt a certain severity in her gaze, though he deigned not to question it. "Over time, as I ran from a life I'd believed to be simple and ignoble, I learned that there are benefits to living quietly."

Freebird laughed aloud. "Quietly?"

"Aye," Tobias answered honestly. "There was a simplicity in that life I had no respect for. And now that it's gone, I can never have it back. His golden eyes burned with a tenacity that was stoked further with every word. "I can't in good conscience devote myself to an Order that robs the masses of that peace. I cannot. Not ever again. I'm sorry, Madison."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Stalt's choice had turned me cold in spite of the warmth of the sun's rays, but a wry smile remained on my face. I leaned forward, my arms crossed and resting on the hard wood of the restaurant table. "You see, that's just the thing. Like you said, that simplicity in your life is gone. Given all you've been through--and not just during and after the Eiskalt War, but before it as well... Before you joined up with the Order..."

My words hung in the air between us as I glanced into the busy streets of Tirel. A couple of hardy orc smiths were pulling a cart clattering with freshly-crafted steel longswords, presumably to be sold in the market or given to the local barony to arm its troops. I looked back at the intense young man before me. My voice was softer now. "You can say that you now appreciate a quieter, more peaceful life. But I think that deep down you know that you'll never find such a life anymore. Trust me, I know from experience."

I took a sip of my glass of water. "I've tried the whole 'quit everything and lead a normal life' thing myself. I quit being an assassin, cut all my ties with my own dark past, and opened a bookstore in Radasanth. But, that's not how the world works, Tobias. The past always has a way of finding you and burning down everything you've worked so hard for." My briar-knit fists clenched as the memories of the fire that ripped through my bookstore and destroyed my invaluable private collection came flooding back. I would never forgive my mother and brother for that night. "I try to quit the life I've been given, and now look where I am. I'm in charge of a group of bastards, murderers, and rejects that, as you put it, robs the masses of the peace they try to live by."

The former Hand took another drag off his own ale. "Not everyone chooses to blindly walk the path in front of them."

Anger and irritation flashed across my face, a simmering fury brought on by Stalt's backhanded comment that I quickly extinguished. "Not everyone is able to push back against the forces that push them along, either."

The man raised an eyebrow. "That isn't a threat, I hope?"

I shook my head and waved a hand dismissively. "No, of course not. I apologize if it sounded like one." I really did not want to bully Tobias, but his attitude throughout this entire conversation has made it very hard not to. And, if I really wanted to threaten him or give him a warning or what have you, the vine that I wrapped around his leg to prevent him from leaving would've been dripping with corrosive, flesh-melting acid.

I took a deep breath and slowly let it out, feeling as if this were all a lost cause. "I can understand your hesitation and unwillingness to come back into the fold. Lye's agents have been dogging you ever since you betrayed him in Eiskalt, and you being on the run since has given you a lot to think about and a new perspective." I absentmindedly rapped the top of the table with a gloved finger a couple times as I thought about what I would say next.

"I can't say that I necessarily agree with your decision, because I honestly do think that you would be a great and welcome addition to the ranks with your skills and all. But... I respect it."

Tobias Stalt would not be swayed by any promises I could make about the Order of the Crimson Hand reforming as a mercenary company, their only goals being gold and glory. I would spare him those words, because while they were true for the most part, they would hold a few little white lies within them. Lies that would grow and fester until they were exposed, once Aurelianus Drak'shal and I...

Well...

I let a warm smile cross my lips and extended a gloved hand towards Stalt with no ill intent. "Well, I won't waste your time any further. As I've said, I will inform any of Lye's agents in the field that the contract on your head has been annulled, and that you've been absolved of all your crimes against the Order. I wish you good luck in your new life, Tobias."

And I wish you good luck in seeing that it doesn't cross mine.

[Tobias Stalt]

This time when Madison offered her hand, Tobias accepted it. He gave it a firm, yet not abrasive shake. Respectful and courteous, unlike his attitude up to this point. "Had I known you were such a sweetheart, Freebird, I'd have received you with a bit more welcome. Alas, knives to the back make piss poor heraldry." Teeth marred by tobacco stains, yellowing but not rotted, flashed Madison a wry smile. "I do hope you'll excuse my poor behavior."

The Briarheart waved a dismissive hand. "Nonsense," she replied, "your reservations were founded well enough."

"I appreciate your saying so, ma'am." Tobias tapped a finger on the table several times. "Erm," he stammered quietly, intent on not bringing attention to himself. "If you would, Madison-" he pointed discreetly toward the tendril of flora that bound him.

Humor danced in the woman's eyes as she rested her cheek on a gloved hand. "Yes, I suppose you might want to go," she chuckled.

"Aye," he smirked, and another stream of amber brew washed down his throat. "It has been something of an eventful day, and I've gone longer than I remember without proper sleep." His eyes were bogged down by dark bags and his brow creased in wrinkles that could be averted with a proper sleep regimen. The golden gaze he gave Madison, however, was not unkind.

"It is good to hear that you have something of a proper direction in mind for the Crimson Hand," Tobias chimed in. "Anything ought to be a step up from Lye's machinations." He let out a laugh, then shook his head. "In all honesty, I was thinking of something similar. A right and new direction for my life, I mean."

"Oh?" Madison glanced at him again, honestly intrigued. "What direction?" she asked as she finished the last of her sandwich. Somewhere beyond the market, a bell tolled twelve times. The crisp, reverberating sound lilted behind her words, and Tobias could not shake the sense of finality that came with the hour.

"I received a missive, several days back," he told her, and leaned forward as his voice sank to a whisper. "Out beyond the bay here, on the open sea, secrets travel fast between hands. Coin can buy anything, so long as you know where to allocate payment. Needless to say, I heard from a wealthy merchant of a woman in Radasanth, intent on ushering in an age of peace."

Tobias reached into his pocket and produced coin ample to provide payment for both he and Madison. He splayed it on the table, where it shook and shivered for several moments in the frigid air of Salvar. When it lay at rest, he looked again at Maddy. "I hope to advise the Lady Icebreaker in her damned fool crusade. With any luck, I can talk her down from extreme action."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

And with the utterance of that accursed name, all the goodwill that I had for Tobias had flown out the door only to be replaced one massive, splitting headache.

I rested my elbows on the table and began massaging my temples. My eyes were clenched shut, and I was doing the best I could not to grit my teeth.

Did Tobias just tell me that he was going to tag along with a group started by the brat princess who probably considered me and my associates mortal enemies?

Stalt paused for a brief moment, unsure of how to react. "Is something wrong, Madison?"

It was all on the tip of my tongue. Every single little event that had transpired in my time during the Eiskalt War. All of those people who died by my disease. All of those people who are still to this day suffering because of my actions. The rage and fury that boiled deep within the quickly blackening heart of Ashla Fucking Icebreaker because of what myself and Lichensith Ulroke were doing to her poor insignificant little backwater country in the middle of fucking nowhere.

I was suddenly overcome with the urge to kill--or at the very least, severely maim Tobias right where he stood. I wanted nothing more than to leave him writing in agony in a pool of his own blood, with dozens of razor-sharp shards of crystalized acid sticking out of his chest, face, legs, arms, throat, fucking everywhere. I offered him redemption and a chance to regain his old life amongst old comrades? A safe, secure future under my protective wings? And he goes and throws his lot in with the one person in the world who wanted me and the entire Order of the Crimson Hand dead by her frosty little hands? I quickly buried those thoughts before I could act upon them.

"No," I finally replied, my voice as cold and harsh as the Skavian winds. I opened my eyes and looked up at Tobias as he stood before me. "No, nothing is wrong."

Nothing and everything, asshole. Ashla Icebreaker is forming a group with the intent to usher in an age of peace, like they're the Ixian Knights or something. And I'm likely to be their biggest target. Me, and all my friends and associates.

If my knuckles were capable of being anything other than green, they would be as white as snow as I set my clenched fists down on the restaurant table. "Go join up with that stupid little bitch," I snarled. "But I want you to do me a favor. Advise her to stay the hell away from me. Advise her to stay the hell away from Lichensith, from Aurelianus, from anyone associated with the Crimson Hand. If I catch one whisper on the wind that she is making even the slightest move against me--against us, I will not be held responsible for the hell she brings down upon herself and anyone she playing her silly games with."

I leaned in close. My voice was nothing more than a harsh whisper, a venomous tone that promised more than mere words could. "I will end her if she even glances in our direction. I'll finish the fucking job I started during the war. You tell her this, Stalt."

[Tobias Stalt]

Tobias watched Madison slowly recover from what appeared to be a ton of bricks falling on her head all at once. The woman massaged her temples and grated viciously, seethed in every pore with acidic anger- more literally than Tobias could even imagine. When she insisted nothing was the matter, her tone told Tobias that there was no truth in the words. What she said next ordained fact from fiction.

The Strategist frowned. "Madison," he said in a firm voice. "I will deliver your message. Know this; I want no wars. None. If I can dissuade the girl from taking battle to any doorstep, I will. That's why I have to go there. I saw what happened to Eiskalt, and I know the venom that pumps in her blood, even as we speak. I tasted her hate, and I know it's lure is powerful."

Tobias' eyes fleeced over a table of overturned glasses, his own ale splattered across plates and silverware displaced by Madison's rage. It was a subtle strength the woman boasted, but enough. "I am no less at fault for what has beset her people, and I will not sit idly by and watch her harm any of you. Peace starts with a grand gesture. She will learn that."

The woman's lurid blues froze on Tobias. "For your sake," she spat, "she had better be a good listener."

"Aye," he replied in a hushed tone. "That's my hope as well." He reached up and clapped Freebird on the shoulder. "Madison, you have done me a great kindness," he told her. "Understand me, I will try my best to do the same for you. I repay my debts."

[BlackAndBlueEyes]

Tobias Stalt is not a bad person. He is a man with a sound moral code; one that may clash with the companies he keeps, but a sound one nonetheless. It was admirable. I fully trusted him to keep his word and deliver my message to Ashla.

Not just for her sake, but for our sake too. I was fully confident in our ability to crush the young girl, but I too wasn't in the mood to fight another war. I had just executed a very grueling coup, wrenching control of the Order from Lichensith's hands. I am in the process of breaking that poor, misguided bastard and reforming him into something more... useful, I guess you could say. I had fires to put out caused by that wretch Zack Blaze and his outing of our participation in Eiskalt. I'm praying that Ciato doesn't tell the rest of his family what really happened to Kyla, lest I have to deal with that mess as well.

I have so much to manage now, and so much planning to do. I cannot handle another annoying pest like Icebreaker right now. I do not have the patience, I do not have the willpower, I do not have the energy.

I took a deep breath, and let it out. "You are a good man, Tobias. May the next time we meet be under good circumstances." I picked up the gold he left on the table as well as my empty plate and glass, and walked inside the tavern.

[Tobias Stalt]

"And you're a dangerous woman who cares greatly for her friends," Tobias replied quietly as she disappeared into the Tavern. It was sad, in a way, that a chapter of his life had ended. The attempts on his life would cease by the Order of the Crimson Hand. A chill sensation like completion rushed through him and sent a shiver over his flesh. He nervously glanced down at his hand. "Free," he remarked, testing the word. It tasted hollow, bitter.

As he turned and stepped into a sea of bodies, Tobias found himself awash, but without any fear. A cat hissed on a wall in the distance, and the ex-soldier strained to see where the sound had come from. He had formed a habit of jumping at shadows, and in the wake of a conversation with a positive outcome, he wondered why he had already started to miss the terror. "What now?" he asked himself quietly.

He glanced up and saw the three girls from before. The pretty one with blonde hair scowled at him, and her brown haired friend ducked slightly behind her. The dark haired one opted to step forward toward him as he stopped several feet in front of them. "Ye've a lot of nerve, marchin' over 'ere after that nasty look ye gave Chandra," came her saucy voice. Tobias could already tell, this woman had fire in her blood. It brought a smile to his face as he thought of Camille. "Whaddyew wan', eh? Out wi' it!"

"Why," Tobias flashed a winning smile as he held a hand out toward the brunette, Chandra, "I wanted to apologize for my wretched behavior," he said charmingly. "I've been without sleep for several days. The boat ride in was less than pleasant."

The doe eyed girl blinked several times before she hesitantly stepped out and touched his hand. Her smile was awkward and fragile, but he swept her fingers to his lips and let them dance across. "Tobias," he greeted, "and you have a lovely name, Chandra." Her face was on fire. She stared into amber eyes and found herself lost. Well, he chuckled to himself, some things never change. Before dawn the next day, he would make his way west, across the wilds of Salvar. Tonight, though...

"I sleep terribly alone," he whispered in Chandra's ear as he leaned close enough to secret the words to her. She giggled tremendously. "Would you care to help me get a good night's rest?"

"Oh Tobias," she gasped, "I'd love that."

[Philomel]

Thread Title: Words With Friends (http://www.althanas.com/world/showthread.php?28435-Unfounding/)
Judgment Type: Condenscened Rubric
Participants: BlackAndBlueEyes (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?3431-BlackAndBlueEyes) and Tobias Stalt (http://www.althanas.com/world/member.php?17202-Tobias-Stalt)

Story: 22

For story here, between you two, you weave a great tale of a quiet scene but of something that is going to have devastating consequences. It had a good development, from the beginning of just sitting down for drinks to finally mentioning Ashla Icebreaker and P.A.L.E.; alluding to many things that could occur after. The Plot itself had little that occurred in terms of action but much that happened in terms of ideas and future decisions, so this dot not affect your score.
Setting, however, was largely forgotten after the first post, though it did have an excellent description at the beginning. As a general note it is good to bring it into writing every so often, even if just a mention of a stain on a tavern tankard, for instance. Rightly, it was brought into focus a couple of times, such as in post 7.
All in all the story was strong and started well though seemed to end a little poorly without much focus. There is the potential, after these “words with friends” for further plots and possible threads, however the ending could have done with more focus and power. This is a minor weakness, however, and can be easily focused on by making sure all threads are tied at the end of a story. This story was a delight to read as it did not have much action but had so much depth, which is a hard art to get right, and here it was done excellently.

Character: 21

Character here is discussed entirely on an individual status.
BlackAndBlueEyes: All in all you used the three sections of character well, though each post did rely on one at a particular time. In post 1 you had specifically only one word of dialogue, and then these statistics developed to almost all dialogue in post 5, and then a great amount of dialogue dominating after. For displaying your character the first-person narrative thoughts do show a great amount of strong persona and personal morals and ideals. Action is less used throughout the piece, majorly because of the situation, but it worked well in subtle details, such as Maddison using her vines to pull Tobias closer to the table. Her thoughts and internal dialogue do give a clear picture of who she herself is - however, you could do with a greater equal balance of all of the pieces of Character together (Dialogue, Action and Persona) within each post and throughout the thread overall to have a more successful flow - yet, only to a small extent as really the words here carry the true worth of the story.
Tobias Stalt: Your methods of showing a character never cease to amaze. You display through the sublties of your writing a man who is still “lost,” as you describe his occupation to be, and somewhat indecisive. Similar to BlackAndBlueEyes you have a good grasp of your character and do not deviate from his personality - until post 8 where he seems a little fast to say that he will follow Ashla Icebreaker. Some development could have been done here, perhaps with a little more action and internal thoughts to show Tobias’ personal feelings between the two Power Groups. However, aside from this, you did well in consistency showing us your character so well done.

Writing: 23

Regarding mechanics, your only real downfall was a couple of times when dialogue and action were in the same paragraph, when a line of dialogue should always have its own paragraph, with the accompanying clause. That being said, however, this sin was only committed once in post 1 and later on near the end. Else, all punctuation was good and there was no glaring spelling mistakes.
This thread was extremely impressive because of its ability to almost completely avoid the old technique of telling and not showing. In post 5 you used the clever method of having Maddison relate the story of the Crimson Hands to Tobias in form of information and history at the same time as informing the reader of such, so well done here. It was also littered with encouraging language and good descriptions such as the beginning of post 7 with, “turned me cold in despite of the warmth of the sun’s rays” and a couple of other metaphors and similes mentioned, as well as good language in general - “deigned” by Tobias in post 6. There could have been more in terms of ambitious language, such as imagery - continuing the idea of a busy tavern perhaps and relating to this in thoughts of your characters - however, mostly well done.

Wildcard: 7

For storytelling in general and introducing a great new possible relationship into Althanas, this thread gets wildcard points for both originality and having story without massive amounts of action - for producing the power of story through subtlety and words, proving their true worth.
The pen is mightier than the sword - Edward Bulwar-Lytton 1839

Total Score: 73 / 100

Rewards:

BlackAndBlueEyes:
1055 EXP
90 GP

Tobias Stalt:
820 EXP
90 GP

All rewards given with a minor descretion amount because of a very good thread here.

[Hysteria]

EXP and Gold added.