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| | '''''"I will travel with you North bruther. Today is a good day to die."''''' | | '''''"I will travel with you North bruther. Today is a good day to die."''''' |
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| − | ==Durgaz==
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| − | '' '''Radagug:''' "...justice?... justice?? bruther... What more justice is there than crushing your enemies and seeing them driven before you? You offer no orc-made justice bruther. You give out elf-made pity. You give me a choice to be free but I have never asked for freedom, all I wish is to die in battle and kneel before the lord in hopes he saw my death strong enough to warrent entrance into the Scar. Where will you find your worth now bruther? now that you have divorced the wives?"''
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| − | '''Durgaz:''' ''Durgaz spits.'' "You speak of things you know nothing about; if you are intent on proving yourself a fool, go right ahead. Did you not know that the Vile ''wanted'' us to kill him, so that he would be reborn in a new body? No, of course you did not, and neither did the Worm, for neither of you knows anything more than whose who hold your leashes deign to tell you. It would have brough me great pleasure to slay the Vile, to tear out his heart and drink his lifeblood, but to do so would have been to play right into his hands. So I spared his life, and now he faces an eternity of solitude and impotence as his earthly shell rots around him, his whimpers unheard by his master and unheeded by his guardians. If that is pity, Radagug, pray that I do not grant you the same courtesy."
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| − | "You never asked for freedom, Radagug, because you know nothing of freedom. Neither did I, before my eyes were opened and my manacles smashed. If a day comes when you have seen what you might be without the Shadow's yoke and you still choose to reject it, I will gladly send you to your lord myself, and you can kneel and mewl at his feet and beg that he might show you the great ''honor'' of letting you into his kingdom. I, though, will die on my feet, fighting for a cause of my own choosing, and should my spirit come before the All-Father, I will spit in his face and have my soul torn to pieces a thousand times before I kneel before him. A slave is merely unfortunate; a slave who scrapes and bows and loves his master in spite of everything is a pathetic creature, worthy only of disgust. It is ''not befitting'' of our people, Radagug, and if you are too weak and blind to see that, then I have clearly judged you too highly."
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| − | '' '''Radagug:''' "...huhuhuh.... 'the Dog', you talk down to me bruther as though you ascended to a higher plain. The heavens were cut off long ago little orc and you cannot fly - that I am aware. So don't look on me as a lesser, little bruther! I have made my way in the world with what I have been given. You should look to me as your elder and better, but you and the others never saw the benefits of my ways... Until you need 'my ways' that is. Me and my 'dogs' found the Vile in the open planes without the aid of visions or prophecy. Me and my 'dogs' took your place at the head of the line in the Talûn-karkû when you ran from us. You speak large little bruther, you taunt and hiss, but all you can do is prove that you have no mind of your own. You continue to rub your superiority in my face. I don't deny you could best me in matched arms bruther... So take your trophies and find another pedestal to preach from. I never asked for a 'fair fight' little bruther... because I was never given one to begin with."''
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| − | '''Durgaz:''' "Oh, spare me your tears, ''brother''. Poor little Radagug, born too small and weak to lift a ''durvardatch'' by himself. Nobody cares for Radagug until they need someone to skulk in the shadows, to fight from hiding, to take on a task worthy only of goblins. Does wallowing in self-pity make you feel stronger, Radagug? Does imagining yourself some put-upon victim make your own failings less painful? Listen to me, and listen well. I did not come here to seek your approval. I see you as a 'lesser' only because you insist upon clinging so strongly to such a pathetic existence. You think yourself a warrior, an orc of his own mind, and yet you blindly follow the orders of your superiors, never considering that other paths might even exist. You do not need to ascend to a higher plane to realize this truth; you need only ''open your damned eyes.''"
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| − | "Could I have found my way out of the Shadow's grasp without the sight, the visions that plague my dreams and waking thoughts alike? I don't pretend to know. I doubt it. If you can, maybe you are stronger than I. But I don't see any strength here; all I see here is a beaten prisoner squatting in his own filth, too beaten and frightened to leave his cell even after the door is opened for him. If you are your own orc, and not a 'lesser', prove it. Not to me, for I have neither the authority nor the interest to judge you. Prove it to yourself, ''brother''."
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| − | '' '''Radagug:''' "...learn... LEARN how to catch fire and burn? Learn to bathe and primp my goldy-locks? Learn to die for a cause that offers no reward...? Little bruther, have those visions driven you mad? You are a fairy aren't you? Did they polymagic you into an elf? Did they cut your orchood from you? Did you cry into your elven pillow last night little bruther, hoping and wishing that I would profess my undying gratitude to you... follow you to the ends of Aryth? Be loyal to a traitor? Little bruther, you are mad..."''
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| − | '''Durgaz:''' "You ... judge me by the company I keep? That's rich, coming from one who trucks with goblins, the lowest of the low, the shit-scrapers and blood-sniffers of the ''Kranklobûrz.'' I respect these ''albai'' not for their soft beds and combed hair, but for their prowess in battle and their willingness to fight for their cause, even when vastly outnumbered. Their customs may seem foppish and weak to such as you and I, but recall the tales told about the ghosts of the Veradeen, those who strike from the forest and leave nothing but slashed throats and pierced eyes where once stood the Shadow's most brutal footsoldiers. I have seen these albai in combat. They are as brave and fierce as any orc, and much moreso than the misshapen little beasts in whose company you have spent the past eight years.
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| − | "And do you really think you can discomfit me with your little ''crèche''-taunts? Should I flee from this place in tears, so wounded am I by your witty wordplay? Or do you wish to make me angry, perhaps enough to beat you bloody, break your nose and possibly a few fingers as I did so many times when we were younglings, so that you can curl up in a ball, here in your own waste, and feel sorry for yourself some more? Poor Radagug, who was never given a fair chance at life, but was too afraid to take one when it was offered to him. You think I seek your gratitude? Your loyalty? I don't give a damn about those. What I seek is a reason to believe that my own people, my own ''blood,'' might be strong enough to break free from the influence of that great stain in the North that used them as playthings, making promises it would never deliver, whispering to them that they were his ''special children'' but granting dominion over them to the weakest of his human servants. What I seek is a future for the ''Kranklobûrz'' that does not involve dying by the score for a cause that will ''destroy them all'' in its execution. What I seek is a glimmer of hope that my own people are not all stupid enough to continue servicing the very machine that will mean their deaths. This is not about you or me. This is about standing up when you did not even realize you were on your knees."
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| − | ''....pushing his meaty hands against the elf-treewall Radagug's claws sink into the old Oak, if it could sheirk from pain it would - as Durgaz sees the holes made in the wood as the elder orc clamps his toe claws into the floorboards to prop his way to a croutched stand leaning against the wall... He reaches out, at first looking as though his paw was going for the vardatch offered seconds ago. But the slow hand motion makes known his intention. Up and down the insides of Radagug's arms and legs are the track-marks of dozens of dead. The Scar Marks denoting his kills. No orc yet lies on his rank of kills, only elf, halfling, elfling and a smatter of humans marks his might. The orc scout must have three dozen such marks, the majority elf - and he seems proud of it. ''
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| − | '''Durgaz:''' ''Durgaz's eyes narrow, his lips curling back slightly over his tusks. Without breaking his gaze with Radagug, he reaches into his shirt and pulls out a long leather strap, adorned with fragments of bone. Hanging between the bone are two orcish fingers, mostly mummified with the hot sun and passage of time. He lets the amulet drop onto his chest, then raises his left hand, slowly curling the fingers into a fist so as to reveal a number of the very same rings that left Radagug's brands. The intention here should be clear.''
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| − | '' '''Radagug:''' Radagug reaches his hand forward... "I will travel with you North bruther. Today is a good day to die."''
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| − | '''Durgaz:''' ''Durgaz pauses for a moment, staring into Radagug's face. (Sense Motive check to see if he's planning on doing anything sneaky if I reciprocate. If not...) Then he slides his vardatch back into its sheath across his back, extends his right hand and drags Radagug to his feet.'' "It may be. It will be a good day indeed when we find something worth dying for."
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| − | ''He pauses, glancing back down at the floor.'' "Pick up that vardatch. It once was mine. Now it is yours. Earn it."
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| − | ''(Note: That is the vardatch that Durgaz has been carrying with him since he began crafting it around session 2. It is a masterwork/crafted vardatch, but is otherwise unremarkable.''
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| − | ==RADAGUG the DOG==
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| − | '''ROLL''': SECRET Diplomacy check for Durgaz vs. Radagug.
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| − | ''The ragged orc has nothing to spew back at his kin on the points of his whining... He knows it to be true. He hates himself for the pity he cannot help but seek. He isn't even aware of it, this is how he has learned to survive.So many times Radagug the Dog has hated himself for not lunging into the face of those that treated him as such. So many times he survived by thinking first and cowering. So many times he should have died. So many times another has assumed him too pitiful to die. <br> ...just as his brother has done this day. <br> <br> Being pulled to his feet the elder orc cannot remember a time that another has helped him to his feet. He cannot remember a time his own brother has touched him in a way not meant to harm... His arm dangles as Durgaz lets go. <br> <br> Beyond the tree door Radagug watches as Durgaz leads from the room, the elf guards long gone from when Durgaz entered the cottage. Durgaz can hear a solid "SHUNK" ... "SHUNK" and out from the former prison Radagug the Dog steps... his forarms glistening in his own scarlet blood - skinned with the gift of the vardatch... He looks up, as his former skin adorned with the elf scars drops behind.''
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| − | '''''"...a clean slate is it then Brother?... I've been told to be the best scout this side of the Eren, maybe I can help you find that thing worth dying for..."'''''
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| − | ==Durgaz==
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| − | ''Durgaz takes a long look at Radagug as he emerges from the room, then slowly raises his own arms, twisted and scarred with self-inflicted burns, and nods slightly. His expression is still somber and blank, but in his brother's eyes, Radagug can see something indicative of ... repect? It's not an expression he's overly familiar with, to be sure.''
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| − | "A clean slate, if you wish it. And a skilled scout would be invaluable where we are headed. Your offer is welcome, and accepted."
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| − | ==KEVIN==
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| − | Wow... neat and cool stuff.
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| − | I like where you're going with this. A question and a thought:
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| − | * What do you have in mind for Radagug exactly? Do you really want him to turn? Would you be disappointed if he did? Or if he didn't?
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| − | * To be sure Radagug will still maintain his "asshole" personality no matter what he does. He will likely confront, taunt and argue with the other PCs and NPCs. I'll be interested to see how far he can get without getting his head cut off. It's kinda like, you're trying so hard to HELP him and he's fighting all the way. Hope you like that. Thoughts?
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| − | ==ANDREW==
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| − | Yep. I liked it too.
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| − | In response to your questions: Durgaz most certainly wants to see Radagug turn. As to what happens after that, Durgaz probably hasn't planned that far ahead, but as a player, I could see him being very useful to any future effort we might make to recruit additional orcs to 'the cause'. Perhaps he could serve as a missionary of sorts ... stealing into orc encampments, spreading dissent/'the word'/Freedom, and then disappearing before word gets around to the higher-ups. That is, after all, his MO.
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| − | Would I be disappointed if he did, or if he didn't? I'd leave that up to you; whichever you think fits the story better. I am definitely in favor of Radagug maintaining his own personality no matter what; although he might 'come around' eventually, he's certainly going to be a general dick to the other PCs and NPCs for the time being, especially the elves ... because that's just who he is. Even if he does 'come around', he's still probably still going to be a general dick ... desperately overcompensating for his perceived shortcomings, always trying to show other characters up, etc. Your earlier assessment of him as poster boy for 'short man syndrome' pretty much nailed it.
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| − | I would like to see his character develop as time goes on, driven by what happens to and around him, but I certainly don't want him to instantly become 'good', or even remotely likeable, right away. It's more interesting to see him progress. Or not, depending.
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