The Legacy of Galryth Winterborn

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Galryth Winterborn
Posts: 56
Character: Galryth Winterborn

Re: The Legacy of Galryth Winterborn

Post by Galryth Winterborn » June 23rd, 2021, 1:19 pm

9. A Trial of Character

Galryth sat in his stool at the tavern, absently nursing his whiskey as the stairs began to creak and moan in the distance from the weight of multiple footfalls. It was not unusual for a few people to be going upstairs, but this was a far greater number and frequency than normal. Was this the meeting of the infamous naked wrestling group he had heard of? Was there a Wolves sermon going on he hadn't heard of? After the footfalls died off, he could hear the vast group of people talking even from a few floors down. Snatching his whiskey bottle from the bar, he trodded up the stairs to see for himself.

Greeting him at the top, was a large group of people from nearly every group in the Providence. There were Wolves, First Torians, Deravin's, and a few members of the other factions scattered around intermingled with unaffiliated citizens. At center stage were Vera Silvercrest, Lucien Silvercrest, and Gryhun. What was going on here?

"Ah. Mister Winterborn." Lucien said upon seeing him and strolled over to where Galryth sat to plat a bottle of ale in front of him and returning to the center area.

He could hear Avi's voice amongst the crowd.

"Gryhun iz judge?" The man questioned.

Judge? This was a trial? He hadn't heard of any sort of trial or any announcement of one. Everyone else seemed to know about it, however, based on the giant gathering of people. Gryhun was to be the judge of it as well? He eyed the man, who was as always wearing his bear mask, and chuckled lowly to himself. Clearly, this must be the trial for the two men from Highfield.

"Mind if I partake in some of that?" An unfamiliar robed man inquired, stepping closer to Galryth.

Galryth motioned him to help himself, preferring his whiskey to ale anyway.

"You have friends here...be known." The man whispered subtly as he reached over him to take the bottle and return to his seat.

Galryth cocked his brow a moment in surprise. Friends for what?

He shrugged it off and went back to his whiskey as the trial continued to wait for the accused to show. After some time, and more shots, they decided to proceed without the accused and pass a judgment to be carried out upon the finding of the judge on guilt.

"Do any wish to present the defense for Wormwood?" Lucien began and scanned the audience.

Ramora stood up and walked to the stage to take up the defense for the absentee man. Proceeding to the stage, and amid many other talking parties and voices, she began.

"R&T releases a statement that summarized Jakell's story and had the initial response to his tale. Mr. Jakell Wormwood claims to have founded Highfield. He claims to have built the village. Feeling threatened that he'd be removed - or killed - by the Legion, he fled Highfield for Teneborough. As he and Flynn Barrigan left, they set fire to the village. The people of Teneborough - the people of R&T - were told this story. That the Legion was coming and would kill them. Teneborough thus dutifully defended what they believed to be refugees. Furthermore, Teneborough's council found that as the creater and owner of said Village. It was rightfully Jakell's to burn."

Galryth nodded to himself as she finished, happy with the rendition given and feeling it properly articulated what they had heard and seen from their perspective. That is, indeed, what they had been told and thought and how they reacted to the refugees, having expected the rest of Highfield to be coming as well, that the entire town had voted to burn it and flee to join them.

"I don't think that's true." Lucien spoke up once she was done.

"Are you Jakell's defense?" Ramona responded quickly, looking over to Lucien.

"Clearly no." Lucien replied.

"So, then, that is the case presented by the defense. Jakell set fire to the property he owned, thus no crime was committed." Ramona finished up and ceded the floor to Lucien. "And now we shall hear from the First Torian Legion."

"Jakell did help to found Highfield but it was not just him." Lucien began in his trademark accent. "He had worked with the Legatus, Vance Silvercrest on the project in addition to that their many members inside and out of Highfield that set and built those buildings and worked to keep them running."

So far so good, Galryth thought to himself as he continued to nurse his whiskey. He had no idea who built the town and their relationships with one another, only what he was told. Seemed very reasonable that the extent of ownership that Wormwood claimed was over-exaggerated or perhaps even outright misleading.

"Also me and Jakell have a long past." Lucien continued with the story. "He knows me and knows I wasn't out for blood. We spoke a few times and one of his chief complaints eas that his council were overly worried of his safety. Furthermore, I believe that R & T or at the least Renatus or Lamora knew of what was to come. They had several meetings with Wormwood."

Galryth gritted his teeth slightly at the last statement, wishing this were more of a real trial than this gathering of folks. This was pure speculation as far as he was concerned, but he had no idea. Had they met several times? Maybe, maybe not. He didn't know, and he believed Lucien didn't either, so it shouldn't be brought up. Only facts should be. They had enough in simply establishing that Wormwood did not own all of those buildings, and therefore, did not have the right to do with them as he pleased. If the entire town did not vote to do such, the case was closed, and arson was proven. It was simple, and yet, it seemed that this wasn't about establishing that, it was about protecting appearances and ego once more.

"It has come to light that Wormwood told Renatus that the whole of Highfield was coming out." Lucien went on. "In response, they build new housing and set up storage for newcomers."

Galryth's brows quirked upward as his hand instantly shot up at the misinformation.

"That's not speculation, that's preparation. He looted all of Highfield and he stuck that loot in one of the houses. So that fire, that theft, was well thought out." Lucien finished his proclamation.

Vera had seen Galryth's hand and motioned Gryhun's attention over to him. Others had already turned their gaze to him and he could feel their eyes watching him, likely judging his disheveled drunken appearance as well as the interruption. He didn't care though, he would voice the truth of the matter, as he knew it. Standing up, he swayed a bit and set the bottle down as he staggered to the stage and turned to the crowd. He was met by equal stares of anticipation, and anger. Clearly, some saw him as an enemy, others eagerly watched to see what would happen.

"As the Architect of Teneborugh, having built and designed it." He began, opening his arms to the people. "New housing was never erected for anything. The building used was set up over a month ago as one of the two buildings for the Banners. They had a barracks, and a building intended to be used for a headquarters."

Gryhun nodded a bit. "I remember that building being designed for the banners by Samara a month ago."

"Nothing new was built for them." Galryth went on. "It was repurposed for what we saw as an emergency housing situation."

"All empty until recently." Lucien proclaimed.

"Aye," Galryth conceded. "But it was built prior to be used as their meeting room."

"Planned ahead, aye?" Lucien prodded. "Before the fires?"

"That part, I don't know." Galryth responded flatly. "I was told there were people in fear of their lives that wanted to join us, and that's what I signed for."

"When?" Lucien inerjected immediately.

"When we released the statement to you." Galryth replied plainly.

"Before the fires?" Lucien inquired.

"Again, don't know. I am correcting what I -do- know and that's that no new buildings were made. That's all I have to say."

"Thank you sir." Lucien responded with a nod and motioned to his prior seat. "Take a seat mate."

He didn't know the timing of the fires in relation to the refugees, and so would not answer to that. He said what he knew to be true and kept away from speculation on anything he didn't. So far, aside from the attempt to make it seem as if this was a long-term plan, the testimony seemed to be unbiased and based on the facts. He just wished it would stick to the actual crime in question. They only needed to prove that he committed a crime by not having the appropriate approval or ownership to make such a decision on his own. Was actually relatively simple. Statements by those involved in building it was all that was needed.

Furio took the stage next. Galryth recognized him as the man who accompanied Vera to change the locks at Teneborough a few days prior. He had met the man once shortly after he arrived, and had sold him a suit of armor.

"Jakell was a man known by many around here. Friendly, a dreamer. He was also a friend of mine before and he spoke to me about what Highfield would be about. He told that to every single person after that. Highfield would be about helping people in need. Staying away from trouble and that there would be no single leader, no last word from a person. We would have a council and the voice of many, those that knew what Highfield would be about would say what would be best for it."

Galryth smiled to himself, almost laughed. Was he talking about Wormwood or Galryth? Taken out of context, they sounded the same. Substitute Council for Assembly, Wormwood for Galryth, and Highfield for Teneborough, and it would be a story entirely accurately describing his own life. It was equal parts surreal and hilarious. Heavens did he miss those damn Assembly meetings and his friends.

"Those were the roots in which Highfield was built." Furio continued. "I trust all of you know what happened at first. Jakell messed with a married woman and got beat because of it."

Galryth didn't. He was sure others probably didn't as well. Personal affairs weren't always, or shouldn't be, public knowledge to such an extent. He had heard rumors that Flynn and Jakell were a...thing. Again more rumors, he took no stock in rumors anyway but listened on as the man continued the tale.

"He called his council to ask what we should do. From that day on he was a changed man. He wanted revenge and only that. The council heard his words and decided he was in the wrong. Graelynn was appointed as Ambassador to speak with the First Torians and smooth things out. She spoke with them and even managed to get what he said he wanted so much. An apology from the First Torian. But he was not satisfied with it and dismissed all that Graelynn did. He dismissed all of that the council of Highfield decided, going against its laws."

Wanting revenge was understandable. A typical, flawed, vice of humanity. Everyone would want such a thing. He sometimes wanted it too, to see others suffer for their sins...to see Lucien spit his own teeth out...but that would mean he should be judged for his own vices as well. Once started along that path, who was truly without blame? This council did not seem to function as well as the Assembly did, however, if someone took it upon themselves to overrule it and do what they wanted. A shame.

"Lucien went to Highfield to put an end to it, to smooth everything, to say sorry. I know that was his intention because I spoke with Lucien that day. I also spoke with Jakell many, many days, trying to get him back to what he was but he would not listen. That same day, Jakell went to the First Torian fort and attacked Lucien. He bit him and kicked him. In a merciful act, Lucien didn't fight back and let Jakell go. Knowing that we the council of Highfield announced we wanted to vote for a new Reeve. He was mad, he was furious. He didn't accept it and said he'd think about it. Before the meeting, he kicked Ramona out of her own house and church. Therefore once again, breaking the laws of Highfield and acting unlike he was before and unlike Highfield should be. With that, discussions still happened and Graelynn decided she could take no more and left Highfield. That very night, Ramona was accused of stealing her own belongings from Highfield and left too."

Their town did not work how it was intended, how the Assembly worked. Nobody should be able to kick another member of the council if they all truly had equal say. Clearly, assuming all of this information was true, and he had no reason to believe otherwise...they had been massively deceived. At least he had. The only ones who felt in danger were the two they let in, it wasn't decided by all of them, it was by them alone and they had no authority to make such a decree. Ramona's story...Furio's story...what Viola heard from Mote all seemed to corroborate this. He felt ill.

He had heard enough, and got to his feet, slowly staggering out as the man continued. What else he had to say, didn't matter to Galryth. They should be found guilty in his opinion now, as they did not have the ownership or approval to do what they did. What a sad turn of events.

"Hey." The robed man from earlier had apparently followed behind him. "A word?"

Galryth looked at the man and to where he nodded at the room behind his shoulder and shrugged. He had no idea who this man was, maybe he was here to kill him? Didn't really matter to him anyway.

"Sure."

They stepped into the room right underneath where the trial was still going on, sitting down at the two chairs by the table, and began to speak.

"You seem a bit agitated with the drinking and all." The man began, peering out at Galryth from under the hood of the robe. "You're not happy with how this went down or the events of the red Sunday?"

"Just dulling the pain," Galryth stated and nodded to the second part. "My will to live died that day."

The man introduced himself as the conversation continued. They had met a few times already, though Galryth hardly remembered with his mind constantly half-drowned in whiskey. But he was here for something...he could feel it as the man watched him, gauging his reactions...prodding for something.

"Your house's power..." He began again. "Diminishing must be a blow to your plans that you spoke of earlier."

"We were never after power." Galryth corrected him, taking the whiskey out of the pack to top himself off. "Except in trading. We wanted the freedom to live life under our own laws. To build an open trade town, and a home for ourselves where all were equal in the say for how it went."

"Tis a shame to lose such prominent members." The man replied lowly. "Then this farce of a trial happening above us seems like it angers you?"

"A bit." Galryth nodded in agreement. "My friends were killed to secure these 2 men for this trial. Nobody seemed to be able to wait to get them in custody for it, and they aren't even here."

"Do you feel your friends died in vain?"

"Yes..." He responded slowly. "And no. They died doing what they said they would...protecting our town and its members. Even if those members entered under false pretenses...to them, they were doing what they said they would. Fulfilling their oaths and duty."

"Seems a horrid outcome to ones protecting their beliefs." The figure nodded. "How is your guild faring now?"

"It's gone." He shook his head sadly. "I am all that is left."

"What about Renatus' wife?" The man quickly inquired. "Lover?"

"What?" Galryth guffawed "He wasn't married and didn't have one as far as I know."

"Viola?"

Galryth nearly burst out laughing before waving a hand, suppressing it, and correcting the man.

"OH! No! No...-no-. She was not involved with him...in any way. Just a business associate like the rest of us, and has left the township. The few citizens there were have been told to leave as well, with no standing militia to protect them."

"What if it wasn't?" The man inquired, leaning in. "Would you rebuild? Become a power in the land? A trade conglomerate? Seek Vengence?"

"No..." Galryth responded after a moment, leaning back and taking a shot.

The figure before him sighed, leaning forward further.

"What if you had...unlimited power...backing your actions?" His voice lowered as he spoke, his gaze on Galryth intensifying. "And you could accomplish what you wished in this province. You don't seem as a man to me who would give up especially when you could avenge...take solace? in your friend's sacrifice?"

Galryth sat back, pondering this a moment. What would he do with unlimited power? Not something he had ever truly considered. His mind drifted for a moment as the possibilities flashed through his mind...the First Torian fort burning...Lucien's teeth being kicked out, replanted, and kicked out again on repeat...bringing everyone together under a flag of peace and prosperity that could only be done by the use of such power...power wielded by someone who had the mind and willpower to use it for goodness in the name of the powerless and weak...someone who would use it to protect those that couldn't protect themselves...to save humanity.

He was not that man and none of the possibilities piqued his interest or seemed possible. Nobody was that person, and those that thought they were could be infinitely more dangerous than those who realized they weren't. Perhaps this is why man was never meant to wield such great and terrible power? They could never truly wield it with benevolence as every human was as flawed as their egos. He was by no means an exception to that.

"I've no wish to take revenge." He said after a while.

"Be well that is may be..." The man sighed and began to lean back in disappointment. "If you change your mind seek out the collective members. Look for a rose. I am but an ambassador. Look for a rose or send a missive to me."

"I wish to live in peace...What is it you hoped I would want to do?" Galryth inquired out of curiosity.

"We had hoped you would want to rebuild." The robed man stated as he began to stand. "Stronger than ever. Divide the growing power of the so-called sycophantic Republic in this region. This is not the true Republic, just a bastardization of it as the trial above proves. We need others to make this known. Not us with the power, but true believers. Consider what I have said."

Galryth nodded, as an image grew in his mind. A giant machine, taller than a house, with all manners of levers, cogs, and wheels. It chugged along at a frantic piece, each part moving in step, allowing the others to do their job in an ever-running machine designed to do nothing other than run and sustain itself. One of the cogs, however, was slowly creating a problem. His mind focused in on it, a strange design that was hard to see as the cog whirled around in its fixed location. It's place in the greater machine. He tried to focus on it, allowing the machine to fade into the distance, becoming more and more blurred as his gaze concentrated. The spinning of the cog slowed, and he could make out more details. It was missing teeth. 3 of the 12 teeth were already gone. Straining hard, he focused everything he could on that specific cog, the one slowing the machine and causing it to skip occasionally as the broken teeth interrupted the normally flawless execution of its running. The symbols on its center...those inscribed...they were familiar somehow...but they moved too fast to see.

The man was on his feet and by the door already as Galryth opened his eyes.

"We are many. We are strong. But cannot be the face of this movement."

He could feel the familiar tug of another player trying to manipulate the pawn once more...

"Why back me though?"

"You have nothing to lose." The man said flatly, and correctly. " I know where Jakell and Flynn are hiding if you change your mind. Look for the rose."

With that, the man left, and Galryth sat alone to think about everything. Unlimited power...revenge...a face for their movement...more work for a pawn...more manipulation for the goals of others...

He closed his eyes and leaned back, popping some green cap mushrooms into his mouth, and watched the brilliant fractal patterns dance around him and consume his consciousness. As the lights danced around him, shadowing movements and melting reality, one thing stood out in the middle of that mesmerizing pixelated tunnel. A cog, with 3 broken teeth. Time was slower here and the wheel that once spun several times a second, slowed, more and more, changing colors as fast as it used to spin until it finally stopped and he could see what was written in its center. Two flared W's shadowing one another with a smaller R&T Enterprises Subsidiary Beneath it.

Winterborn Works...he was the cog...he smiled to himself as the cog in his mind lost 2 more teeth, then melted into the fractal patterned background. He opened his eyes, seeing reality through this new perspective, and watched as the torch's flames waved to him like a familiar friend. The woodgrain vibrated and danced to a song he could not hear, and the very air became a hug to surround him with love. For the first time, in a long time, he was proud of himself. He had been offered power. Power to kill, power to rebuild, power to control others...and turned it away. He had beaten the trial of character.

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Galryth Winterborn
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Character: Galryth Winterborn

Re: The Legacy of Galryth Winterborn

Post by Galryth Winterborn » June 25th, 2021, 7:34 pm

10. The Final Assembly

Galryth sat in the council room on the uncomfortable stone chair as the lanterns flickered on the walls, nearly out of oil. He looked down at the docket for the day. A stack of blank pages greeted him as he scanned the room and all the empty seats that were once filled with life. Once filled with friends. He picked up the papers, smacking them vertically on the table to straighten them before standing up and taking attendance.

"Alright..." He began, in a low monotone voice. "Now that the full Assembly is here, we should begin with the affairs of Teneborough at this point. Has the attendance been documented?"

After a few moments of silence as he penned down the list of those in attendance...Galryth Winterborn..., he continued.

"Wonderful."

"Today's first motion is our response to what has happened here." He began solemnly. "With no standing militia, nor any fighting men at all, and nobody to defend anyway. It is my opinion that we do not seek revenge or a counterattack against anyone else. There is no need for further bloodshed. I move this matter to a vote. All in favor of abstinence from retaliation?"
Raising his hand, he noted the unanimous decision of the council to not retaliate in the minutes.

"Alright, next on the docket is the dissolution of R and T Enterprises as an entity. There are no businesses left in the collective, and no villagers left in Teneborough. It is in my opinion that the guards be given 2 months of salary, and dismissed from service. Any remaining laborers should also be compensated and released. I bring this motion to a vote now."

Looking around blankly for a moment at the empty room, he bobbed his head and raised his own hand in an affirmative. "Aye."

"Alright...unanimous...R and T Enterprises is hereby dissolved," Galryth said as he wrote down the results.

"Third on the docket will be the allocation of the resources collected by R and T Enterprises and control of nodes. It is my opinion that...I don't give a fuck...and we let them go. I bring this motion to a vote."

"Aye. Once again...unanimous...shocking." He quipped to himself

"Fourth, I would like to be given payment for my services as Architect of Teneborough." He smirked a little as he spoke the words. "I worked very hard and deserve to be paid for the time and effort put into the building and planning of this township which was neglected in the last budget. I move this motion to a vote."

"Nay. Unanimous nay...noted..." He scribbled the words down on the minutes report, nearly laughing the last words out. "Fuck you all too..."

"I will bring forth another motion for a vote on the Assembly." He stood as he spoke, to give his voice greater vibrato to his imaginary assembly. "I petition to the Assembly that the project town of Teneborough has been a failure. Despite everyone's best efforts to create a home for us all to live in peacefully, we have been unable to do this and it is my recommendation that the project is fully abandoned and razed to the ground. All in favor?"

"It is only a failure if you allow it to be..." A voice that was not his own chimed in at that point, coming from the recesses of his mind. The voice teetering between being irritated and ashamed by the proposition being put forth. "You've only failed if do this...and not until then."

"Nah...the guy's right." A deeper and more menacing voice came forward. "Situation's too far gone. It's fucked. Burn it."

"What about all the people who could use these buildings?" Another, almost feminine voice chortled into the fray. "What a waste of all that work that could be used by others."

"And let them capitalize off our blood and sweat?!" The second voiced boomed. "FUCK that. Torch the bitch."

"Is that what you do when things don't go as you wanted or planned? Drink and drug yourself into a stupor and give up? You're pathetic."

"You could use these buildings to do good still...it doesn't have to end like this!"

"It does!" He boomed, slamming the table and grabbing his head as it began to throb. "I can't even look at this place anymore! It's a fuckin nightmare!"

"Oh please...can we stop this pathetic pity party already? Or at least let me out?"

"So this is how you allow your vision to go out? In fire and smoke?"

"Maybe if he wasn't half dead from whiskey and drugs already he could turn this around..."

"Well if you ask m-."

"NOBODY ASKED YOU!" Galryth boomed in exasperation, his voice echoing off the walls in the empty otherwise silent room. "Nobody asked -any- of you! Now I move this forward to a vote so we...I... can move the fuck on from this...whether or not I rebuild has no merit...it can't be from here. Now...cast your vote."

"Aye."
"Aye."
"Nay."
"Nay."

....Deadlocked...

He wrote the last of the results in the minutes as the voices continued to bicker back and forth in a mumble within his head, trying to pull his decision one way or another. Being that he was Directer Pro Tempore, in the event of a deadlock he was the deciding vote anyway. He questioned the sanity of that thought, as he was sitting in this room alone and had given actual votes to voices in his head. Even his own mind was trying to manipulate him now. It was as if there was an Assembly of assholes in his own head just to torment him and make this decision harder than it already was.

The headaches had gotten worse of late. His mind slowly fraying as a cog with 7 teeth of its 12 continued to turn in his mind, the grinding of its missing teeth screeching through his consciousness with every turn. Is this was madness was like? Everyone had conversations with themselves within their own mind...but it had never been quite like this before. He sat at the table rubbing his temples as he finished off the minutes and added a few more notes to submit to the newspaper. Galryth chuckled to himself as he read it over in his head...he had just written out that he sat in a room by himself...talked to himself...and what he decided...even writing the split vote! Well shit, if people didn't think he'd lost it all already, they would now! Ahhh....fuck it. He smiled and folded the paper up.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Last Assembly of Teneborough.

Herein lies the minutes for the last Assembly Meeting of Teneborough, so has the Assembly decided and so shall it be.

Attendance of Assembly Members: Galryth Winterborn
Attendance of Non-Assembly Members: None

Docket:
1. Vote to hold no retribution against parties participating in Teneborough's downfall - unanimous pass
2. Dissolution of R and T Enterprises - unamious pass
3. Allocation of Resources Nodes to specific parties - unanimous fail
4. Distribution of funds to Galryth Winterborn for services rendered as Architect, having not been paid in previous budgets - unanimous fail
5. Abandonment of Teneborough project to be razed to the ground - split decision, tie break decided by Directer Pro Tempore, Galryth Winterborn - Pass by tie break

In conclusion and by decree of the Assembly of Teneborough, no actions will be taken in retaliatory response against any other party. Resource nodes held by R and T Enterprises will be abandoned. Galryth Winterborn shall not be paid. R and T Enterprises is hereby dissolved; all guards, employees, subsidiaries, citizens, or others; are released from any contractual obligations or liabilities owed to the former conglomerate; with all paid positions receiving 2 months severance pay. Project Teneborough is, and already has been as of the publishing of this paper, terminated and razed. Galryth Winterborn is named to be the one to raze the project to the ground alone. So has decided the Assembly, and so shall it be.

Should there be any grievances or matters you wish to bring up, please see me directly. - Galryth Winterborn

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With that, he stood up, blowing out the lanterns on the walls, knocking them over to crash onto the wooden floor, glass shattering, and oil spilling onto the floorboards and stepped outside. Katarina was walking her normal route outside of the Hall, and he could tell by the way she looked at him for a fleeting moment and then immediately averted her eyes that she must've overheard at least part of the meeting.

"Katarina...," He began, walking up to her and putting on the best smile he could muster. "You have done your duty, as well as anyone, could've asked, but your time is done now. I've one more duty for you, if you can deliver these minutes from the meeting to Harlow at Fort Prae. There is nothing left to protect and we will no longer be needing your services. Please take this coin that would've been for your next two months of work, and find a new way to make a living. I am sorry, and thank you again."

As he slid the small bag of coin and the meeting minutes into her hands, she looked at him for a moment with sadness in her eyes before nodding and taking her leave. There were many more conversations like that one, and many more small bags of coins, before Galryth was for the first time, absolutely alone in Teneborough. He brought Trismegistus out from the stables and patted the horse's mane a moment before leading him through the empty town to Renatus' old office where he brought him right into the building. This probably would've bothered him to see a horse in his office, but he doubted it mattered anymore. Not to mention he'd begun to use it as storage drop-off long ago. He began to load up the crates of oil onto the animal along with the kindling, and the extra unsold copies of The Frontier Herald.

Building by building he went, laying out wood, kindling, and dowsing it with lantern oil. Each building broke his heart at a different angle. There was the Assembly Hall. He remembered the first time they rang the bells for the Assembly and the throng of people that showed up. He smiled to himself, remembering the boredom plastered all over their faces as they clearly wondered what the fuck they had just walked in to attend. He nearly laughed aloud at the memories of the glazed-over eyes as they debated their budgets and motions for all the mundane decisions. It certainly was not what people thought they did. He left the door open to the Assembly Hall and moved on to the last buildings he had put up, those for the Banners.

After that, the foundation for the De Ravin Chapel that never came to be was covered in logs and oil as well. Renatus's office was next, followed by the craft hall, and the unused building that was meant to be the public craft space. Lamora's clinic was next, followed by the Anchorage.

The Anchorage was tough...he looked at the tavern area and remembered how beautiful it looked and smelled just a few weeks ago. At least she was able to open it once...he dropped the logs and the kindling in it and spread the oil before stepping outside and looking to the stairs. He stopped at the bottom of the stairs, looking up to where their room was. His heart raced a bit as he held onto the railing. He hadn't been up there since he awoke the day of the attack...and he would never be in it again. It never did get that armoire he had promised...

After loading the last of the crates left from Renatus office onto the packhorse and tieing Trismegistus to a tree just outside of town, he set some water and food down for his friend before looking over the town one more time before having another inner monologue about the last decision he had to make. One that wouldn't make it in the papers or the minutes.

"Are you staying?" A voice questioned softly in his mind.

"I...don't know."

"What else is there for you?"

"Nothing..."

"Then why go on?"

"Maybe something will change...I can always do it later..."

"You really think anything will change?"

"No...but I hope it does"

"Sounds like you're not staying..."

"Guess not..."

Sitting on the grass, he brought the whiskey bottle to his mouth and looked through his bag taking an inventory of what was left. Three syringes, three bottles, an eyepatch, some newspapers. He was nearly out of supplies, as well as coin to buy more. Whatever he was gonna do...time was running out. He couldn't continue feeding his addictions anymore...reckoning would come soon...he'd have to fight this off, or let it take him...he tucked the three syringes away carefully, wrapping them very gingerly in the paper. Three at once would certainly do it if it came to it...

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Galryth Winterborn
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Character: Galryth Winterborn

Re: The Legacy of Galryth Winterborn

Post by Galryth Winterborn » June 25th, 2021, 9:29 pm

11. Razing the Dead

Throwing back the last of the bottle, he tossed it casually to the ground. Two left. Each edition of The Frontier Herald had been left in the last of the lantern oil overnight wicking it up in their pages, as he drank his whiskey and ate the rest of his green caps in preparation for what he was about to do. He smiled to himself as he looked down at the oil-soaked papers. Was it poetic justice that they would be used to burn Teneborough to the ground? Part of him thought it was this specific thing that brought upon its downfall. After all, nobody enjoyed seeing their own reflections made public. He couldn't blame them...look what his had done to him? After doing a few more rounds just to ensure that there was indeed nobody left in town, each building got its own paper, after being lit, casually thrown in to ignite the kindling and oil-soaked logs. The fires started out small, smoldering and igniting the oil. It didn't take long until it began to spread, as he stood south of the town, patting Trismegistus as the smoke turned from a small plume to a great stack of blackness in the sky. A bright red glow began to glow above the town, and he could feel the heat of its fury on his face.

"Here's to you guys!" Galryth saluted the town with his whiskey bottle. "I love you bastards."

It wasn't long until people started to show up. First was some woman he didn't know named Nara. She ran up and almost immediately past him and towards the burning town.

"Quickly, we must steal everything!" She exclaimed before rushing into the inferno.

As she emerged from the burning building, miraculously without a single burned hair, she gasped for air.

"I almost died in there!" She coughed, "I saw a smokestack and I thought free stuff."

He didn't even have time to comment on the absolute absurdity of everything she had just said and done before Vera came running up and there was a voice from between the burning buildings.

"GALRYTH!" Lucien yelled as he ran through the streets just escaping ahead of the flames in front of him.

"Yes?" He responded nonchalantly, "You think I was in there?"

"Aye," Lucien responded with a nod, standing near him and turning to watch the town continue to consume itself.

"Thought about it..."

"T'fuck happened here?" Patricia inquired as she got there, stopping short of joining everyone else and looking to the raging fire.

"I just came here..." Nara stated, "because I thought you were in trouble too."

"No..." He responded slowly almost with a smile. "I had to end this. I couldn't even look at this place anymore."

"Ye send everyone home?" Lucien asked quietly.

"Course I did...," Galryth retorted, a little offended at the question.

"Why did you burn this down?" Patricia questioned, seemingly curious to why he had done it.

She didn't understand the motivation...no...the -need- he had to do this. This town was dead. This dream was dead. He was dead. As long as it remained standing, he would never be able to move on. The buildings were just hollow shells that existed only to mock him. Only to remind him of the foolishness he had once been a part of. He didn't expect anyone to understand, not fully. After all, they were just buildings. But to him, they were so much more. They were a representation of something. They were his dead friends. While the pyres from before burned away the bodies, this pyre would truly put them to rest. Put him to rest.

"Because it haunted me..." Galryth responded slowly, looking over to her briefly, then back to the inferno. "Be one with the Flame my friends...my home...my dream."

"What's next?" Lucien asked him as he watched the flames.

"I haven't planned that far," Galryth shrugged and raised his bottle to the flames with a smile. "But the past must be cleansed to build a proper future..."

A beam cracked and fell into the flames, sending a torrent of flame out towards the party. Galryth smirked, taking a shot of his whiskey as the flames flashed into his face, and singed the ends of his beard. The smell of burning human hair was truly one of the worst smells there was. It was so just so vile for some reason. In his head, as he watched the flames consume Teneborugh, the cog continued to spin...faster and faster...as two more teeth chattered off of it, leaving 5 left intact on the wheel. With less than half its teeth left, it was already nonfunctional in any machine now and would need to be replaced. He was no longer a working piece of this machine, nor useful to any other.

The thought of that perked his mood up more than he thought it would. What did that mean though? Was this a death of who he used to be, to make room for something greater? Or was it just the death of him? Did it matter which it was? Did it matter if it mattered? Did anything matter?

"What did you put in there...," Vera inquired, taking a step back and shielding herself from the heat.

"Lantern oil and wood," he responded simply as another few people walked up to see the event.

Edward Mason had a look of absolute horror etched on his face as a blast of fire erupted from the town and he rolled backward away from it.

Patricia helped the man up and pointed to him a moment.

"You lived here mister?" She inquired. "Knew of this?"

"I am...just a farmer..." He replied quietly, almost shyly. "Paid taxes...but they don't owe me an explanation."

Galryth looked over to the man, a frown settling in on his face. He had neglected to see this man's name when he did the payouts.

"You paid taxes?" Galryth asked, walking over to the farmer. "I am sorry, I was unaware, I will reimburse you."

"No no..." Edward waved a dismissive hand and looked away. "It's fine. My farm still stands I just wanted to make sure it didn't spread."

Lucien walked over to him next, introducing himself, and began telling Edward about Highfield and offering him to join them there if he so wished. As they talked amongst themselves, Galryth turned to the fire once more as a groan of wood followed by a splintering crash heaved another wave of fire at them. He watched in silent contentment as everything he had worked for went up in flames. Somehow, despite everything, it felt right. It felt good.

"And so...the creator has become the destroyer..." Galryth muttered to himself quietly.

Commotion from where Mason and the rest were talking quickly grabbed Galryth's attention as the sound of battle rang out of nowhere.

"Filthy Murderer!" A man yelled, stepping from the shadows and attacking Lucien.

Lucien, Vera, Nara, and Patricia were on him in moments and before Galryth even knew what was happening, the attacker was down. Lucien wasted no time tieing him up and dragging him away from the scene. As he left, another figure, this one robed and concealed, muttered something in a language he did not understand, and an ice barricade formed around Vera and another. Pure chaos broke out at that point, as people ran about either to hunt down the mage, to check on Lucien, or to see what was going on. It was insanity. Avi and some others showed up at that point, and he quickly lost track of where everyone was. Wanting no part of any of this bloodshed, he grabbed the reigns of Trismegistus and lead him off towards Fort Prae, leaving the town to finish burning itself out, as well as all the fighting where it belonged...behind him.

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Galryth Winterborn
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Character: Galryth Winterborn

Re: The Legacy of Galryth Winterborn

Post by Galryth Winterborn » June 27th, 2021, 9:06 pm

11. What Do You Want?

The streets of Fort Prae were often all but abandoned as Galryth wandered them aimlessly along the dirt paths. Today was no different and he was about to drink himself to sleep at the tavern again when he ran into her. Didn't even recognize the woman at first she was so different from the one he had talked to a few times at the start of R & T. Khalkeus' old apprentice Jane. Now she wore crimson armor with a green tunic, her blonde hair flowing over the back of it into tangled curls. They'd probably only spoken a handful of times, but he nodded to her and raised his ever-present whiskey bottle in greeting. She looked at him for just a moment before staring down at her feet nearly instantly.

"How's life?" He asked flatly, walking up to her and swaying slightly.

"I-it's okay." She stammered a moment, continuing to look at his feet and not making eye contact. "Could I get ye some food? Or..or a drink?"

She seemed apprehensive to his presence, or nervous, he couldn't tell and shrugged it off.

"Already got one," he waggled the whiskey and extended it over to her. "Want some?"

She looked up to the whiskey a moment before nodding and taking it from his hands to take a sharp swig.

"I'm sure you've heard by now?" He inquired, taking the bottle back.

"My thanks," she replied looking up at him finally. "I have."

Galryth was looking as he always did of late, in some state of drunkenness, disheveled, unshaven, his eyes bloodshot and baggy.

"Well I am sorry," he began quietly, taking his own drink. "I couldn't look at it anymore."

"Don't apologize...please." She protested instantly, then looking back down to their feet. "You and Viola have nothin' to be sorry about."

He raised a brow slightly and nodded to himself in understanding. So it was guilt then that she was feeling.

"Viola is safe," he tried to reassure her. "She has a new home...and bright future...that is something I can be happy for. Others put in work and time, yourself included, but all were gone or scattered."

"She deserves such..." Jane said, a smile creeping over her face as she looked at him once more. "Would you come sit with me?"

A little surprised by the request, Galryth hesitated a second but nodded. He tried to think if they had ever talked before...truly talked. He couldn't recall a single conversation between just the two of them. They used to mine together at the very first few days of Teneborough, before they even named it, and he ran into her and Renatus' talking before but that was about it as far as his memory served him.

"If you'd like me to," he replied simply.

"I'd like ye to," she stated firmly.

"Lead the way," he motioned with an arm and followed behind.

Shaldemes Nymri walked by, winking at Jane and they spoke a moment about hunting in the Eyeless caves as he stood behind them, not trying to eavesdrop and waiting patiently. He didn't know this woman either, only that she was at some point, and may still be part of the First Torian, as Jane was now. The wink was odd though, wasn't it? Why would she wink at her? As the two finished up their conversation hurriedly, he followed her towards a familiar building. The two-story house just south of the Fort Prae gates. The bottom of this building was the original house he had met Renatus at. Renatus, Thrupp, and himself had got their start in that building, using it for storage and setting up their businesses. She led him up the stairs, to the apartment above that. Jane helped the already intoxicated man up the stairs with care and guided him into a seat.

"Nice place," Galryth offered with a groan as he plopped into the seat and offered his whiskey over to the woman.

"Got me own," Jane responded, sliding into her own chair and taking a bottle from her bag. "Been a bit more drinking since...everything."

"Fair enough," He offered sympathetically.

"I've been on it for months now...perhaps if I hadn't been..." He trailed off with a shrug and another gulp.

"We all have lives..."Jane responded. "It's hard to be everywhere at once keepin' everyone safe from themselves. If I hadn't been so busy trying to do stuff for easing tension between two groups maybe Lumi would still be in this land today.

"Lumi is gone?" He inquired earnestly, despite not having ever talked to the woman before he had heard good things.

"She packed her things and is leavin' back to her mama's place." The sadness was evident in her voice.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know." Galryth offered with the most genuine smile he could muster.

"She found me recently and said the words I wanted to hear before going back to her mother's," Jane went on wiping at a tear. "She said she loved me. I needed that."

"That at least must be a comfort," Galryth nodded some. "Two things all people need...purpose and love..."

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"You have neither..."

His brain thankfully reminded him at that point that he had neither. What a wonderful tool the brain was afterall. As if he wasn't painfully aware of it already, it just -had- to interject that there didn't it? Just in case he had perhaps missed it all in his stupors it would lovingly remind him whenever it could.

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The conversation went on for a little bit about the decor of the apartment and how Lumi had left it to her before going. He brought up how R and T Enterprises got started in the apartment just below this one. They talked of the countless key rings that would sometimes spill into the streets when someone opened the door and how Renatus -insisted- that they would sell them all...eventually...Galryth even did an impression of his deceased friend in good faith. They shared a laugh at that last part. He could hear Renatus' voice speaking the words and was sure she could too. Then the conversation went to its true purpose...as they always did.

"So I never asked ya..." Jane questioned slowly, taking another drink for herself. "Did ye ever have a mate?"

"Yes," Galryth responded plainly, perking a brow at the pointed question."I...did."

"Is that why you drink more?" She inquired, motioning to his whiskey bottle and noting the look of pain to cross his face as she mentioned the topic.

"Yes...and no," He responded slowly, trying to think of how to put it. "I am pained by what happened between the two of us...no doubt...but I needed to numb away that she was right. It is difficult to see your own flaws for what they are...to view your own darkness. I did not see mine...and now I do...that is why I drink."

"I'm sorry," Jane replied with a tone of shock in her voice at his answer. "It may be too personal and I ain't tryin to bring it back to the surface but, hard to imagine 'darkness' in you."

"If I didn't want to share it, I wouldn't have." He stated to ease her concern. "There is darkness in us all...maybe not in the sense of I'm going to go kill a bunch of people. Not that kind. But...selfishness masquerading as selflessness...weakness disguised as kindness...apathy for understanding...and other such truths. It becomes hard to enjoy your life story...when you don't like the main character of it anymore..."

He took another long swig of his whiskey bottle.

"Ye build fine things," She retorted as many had before her. "Useful things."

"And then I waste them," He said flatly. "And burn them."

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"and toss them casually in the dirt..." Thanks brain...I'd nearly forgotten...always got my back.

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"But you improve things..." She continued to protest. "Why can't we find it so easy to improve ourselves?"

"Wish I knew..." He spoke into the bottle as he took another drink. "I've no desire left to build anymore...to create."

"I honestly never had the mind to craft things." She stated, swirling her own drink and resting her elbows on the table in a relaxed posture. "I found it fascinating to watch ye at the forge..."

"I used to love it, ya know..."He swirled his own drink and looked down at it through intoxicated eyes. "I had such...passion...such energy for it..."

"What was your favorite thing you ever made?" Jane asked innocently, not knowing the wound she just salted.

"It was a sword I made for the woman we just spoke of..." Galryth began the tale again.

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"Here we fuckin go again..."

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The tale he had went over countless times in his head...and would likely go over countless more...

"She hates me now..." He concluded. "As she should."

"We all got out failings...." She replied softly. "But to call yerself a villian?"

"Well, in my selfishness I have been in a drunken stupor ever since." He confessed, though anyone who had been to the tavern at all in the last few months, or even seen him, already knew this. "That's where I was when the attack on Teneborough happened you know? Passed out drunk upstairs of the Anchorage."

"I...I saw you that day," She choked out, looking down once more, before spilling into an emotional rant. "I couldn't even look at ye. Ye may consider yerself guilt in some for not being there. It's not really. I don't know yer own feelings I just hope ya know...I want ya to know...there ought not to be any more 'waste' from everything. I know that's a mighty something coming from a Legion member...coming from me...but I don't want ya to remain lost in such. You've never gone out of your way when I was around to offend someone or drag them down. Ye brought many creative things into this world and yet..."

"That's the thing Jane..." Galryth interrupted by accident, the drink getting to his head at this point. "It's not my fault...or yours...or anyones.... it's the flaw of humanity...sorry...sorry...didn't mean to interrupt."

They both set their bottles aside a moment to slow down.

"Nay, ye didn't," she resumed. "I'm just...I'm trying to say on my part at least. I'm so sorry. Your right, it happened and I don't go a single night without thinking about it."

"I understand," Galryth replied solemnly with a nod. "I've never blamed you. I don't blame anyone. I don't want revenge...or penitence...or anything. I don't want more bloodshed."

"What do you want?" She questioned."

"To find a reason..." He picked the bottle up and swirled it a bit, watching it slide along the inside edges of the bottle. "To find a reason to go through all of this. Something that makes all of this worthwhile...or I want out."

"Ye think..." She inquired, looking over to him. "Ye think I mean, I'm sorry but, ye think ye'll ever find love again?"

"I don't think I'm capable," Galryth replied honestly, taking a drink from his bottle, his only true love.

"Capable?" Jane drew her eyebrows down. "Come on now!"

"Maybe in other people...," He conceded. "Not in myself."

"Listen Master Galy," Jane said finally, biting at her bottom lip and standing to walk towards the window. "All I'm tryna get out here is...I ain't never dated a man...but I mean...if ye don't find me so repulsive due to stuff that's went on and if I don't seem too dull-brained to ye...maybe one day...I mean consider getting uhm...back out there?"

She sipped her drink and fanned at herself at the window muttering lowly that it felt hot in there. What she just put out there, as shocking and unexpected as it was to him, was something that was very hard to say and he didn't want to let it linger on the poor woman for long. It was tough to put yourself out there like that.

"Do not take this as a sleight..." He began choosing his words carefully and speaking softly. "You are a wonderful and beautiful woman. I have no ill will towards you or anyone else...but... I am broken Jane..."

"And I ain't a crafter or good at repairin' things," she giggled and rubbed her face.

"And what do you do with something that is broken beyond repair?" He inquired, staggering to his feet.

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"Smelt it down..."

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"All I wanted was your and Renatus' time...yer friendship," She stated, cleaning up her face. "And I reckon you can be broken...but unmendable?"

"Time..." He said slowly. "Will tell that. Renatus and I were your friends. I...still am. Now -why- you want to be friends with me...I cannot say.

He smirked a bit after the joke to break any tension that may be left.

"I..I ain't gonna push ye," She replied opening her arms and offering a hug. "Hey. C'mere."

He stepped forward and leaned in, trying to keep himself as back as possible as he was unwashed and had to reek of whiskey. Why in Eden would this woman want anything to do with him? He didn't need Lamora's mirror to see how bad he looked right now. He had nothing to offer to anyone, no value to give forth. There must be a reason that he wasn't seeing...

She sighed into his shoulder and released him after a few moments then nodded to the door.

"Before I put you through any more..."

"Talking to you isn't putting me through anything..." He replied candidly. "I am sorry we didn't speak more...and may not again."

"I'm sorry too," She replied, as she grabbed her cloak and they headed to the door. "I'd rather it not be the last, just lettin you know."

As the two stepped outside, into the pouring rain that had begun at some point during their conversation, they huddled under the roof of the building and continued their conversation for some time. They talked of Winterborn Works, and how Galryth worked to save a bunch of money only to give it away. She spoke of the work she had to do to get the equipment he noticed on her. He could always recognize quality work, even drunk. Then the conversation turned to what happened to her, and how she would up in First Torian instead of R and T. She told him of how she didn't feel wanted at R and T and how she was never shown how to do anything or given a key. How Lucien and Vera were kind to her, of her struggles and how she taught herself to fight. Of an article, she wrote for the Herald that Renatus didn't approve of. They talked over many things, some laughs were had, and a lot of perspectives gained.

"Before Vance decided to take time away," She continued on the topic. "Him, Lucien, and Vera asked if they could make me heir."

"You are a Silvercrest then?" He inquired in shock.

"Til the death of me." Jane nodded.

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"There's your reason..."

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He smirked to himself a bit at the reveal. So a future with this woman would mean he would actually become Vance's stepson. Oh, the irony...if life were not truly a game with a bad taste in jokes. There was a time, years ago, where that would've been exactly what he wanted too. But now? Now he had no idea what he wanted.

"Quite the unexpected conversation today...," he quipped.

"Well I've been meaning to find you," she replied. "Talk to you...before and after the events. I just missed you every single time. If ye feel nothing. Please feel better knowing ye completed my day. More than most things ever have."

"I'm sorry to hear that...," Galryth responded stoically, cocking a brow again and handing his bottle over towards her. "Your days must be really shit then."

When she stopped laughing at his straight-faced joke, she took the bottle and drank one final shot from it.

Their conversation died along with the rain and they walked their separate ways. Jane was an interesting woman, one he wished he had taken the time to talk to more. She seemed genuine in her motivations and it bothered him that he started to look at everything as if it were some masterminded conspiracy now. That line of thought from others is what lead to them to take Renatus' as a threat that he truly wasn't. Now here he was doing it himself. What other explanation could there be though? Look at him! He didn't even like himself, and he was the most biased towards that matter! He thought of all the other people he ran by absently in the streets of the fort all the time. Ignored while he went along his own business. Pursuing his own goals. Now that he didn't have any, and had no work to attend to, he had all the time in the world to talk to them. Get to know them. Maybe he could get to know himself again in time too.

As he settled in for the night in some bushes outside the Fort Prae guards normal patrol paths, he dreamed of
a great chess game. The pieces were already set up and the positions established. Across from him, there was a man whose face he could not see. Long silver hair curled out from beneath the cowl. This figure played white, and he played black...and he was losing. The figure moved a knight, who for a split second took the appearance of Jane forward, putting one of his pawns in jeopardy. The figure sat back and crossed it's arm in contentment as Galryth surveyed the board. His opponent had pinned him in a fork. If he moved the pawn, the knight could freely take his bishop...if he moved the bishop...the knight would take the pawn. The bishop had more upfront value...but the pawn...he was the pawn...and he would sacrifice something more important to save himself...as he moved the pawn forward out of harm's way...the game disappeared and transitioned into a spinning cog...a cog with 5 teeth that spun faster and faster...as another tooth broke off...

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