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Spoiler: The last thing Tryggve remembered was tumbling into oblivion. Each time he bounced off the hill of rubble, he had felt searing pain until he finally blacked out. But as the near-albino woke with a cheek pressed to the cold floor, he felt none of the pain that should be pounding through his body. Glancing around from where he lay, the great cathedral before him as he searched for anyone else who fell to the dark chasm. Standing and checking himself, the large warrior realized he didn't even have bruises, broken bones, or anything of the sort. After what just happened, that shouldn't have been possible.
Upon the arrival of the strange celestial being, Tryggve's mind drew a very cynical conclusion to his current predicament. As the owl-winged man addressed him, Tryggve cast his eyes upon the large cathedral once again, his mind slowly turning in thought in the situation he was in. As the cynical thoughts took hold, his lips slowly forming a dark grin. "As forseen, huh?" He let out a small chuckle as his gaze drifted down from the cathedral, settling at the mist pooling around his him. "So, I was never able to reach the stone, was I? This is how I die, at the end of it all?" It wasn't that big of a stretch for Tryggve. He had survived a lot, but even as tough as he was, he had come close to death at many points in his life. Many of those times he survived through sheer pursistance, while sometimes he lived through dumb luck alone. Without the pain of the fall, and with the imagery surrounding him after the maelstrom of events that led up to this moment, he was pretty sure it all meant he finally ran out of survivability. With a chuckle, his gaze lifted back to the celestial newcomer. "Well, either way, who are you?"
Looking up, the panic returned as the great dragons head tumbled down, and their descent continued. With only a moment before he hit the ground and the light from above faded, Tryggve braced as he struck an incline of rubble, blacking out somewhere between the start and end of his long tumble into the abyss...
Though confused at the sudden appearance of the dragon and the panic that surrounded them, Tryggve experience and focused mind allowed him to sort out what needed to be done. As the pudgy, goblin like demons approached, Tryggve did not hesitate to sprint forward alongside Lune, who's strange form did little to blind him from her assault on the enemies, and Shinari. The problem was that there were other civilians around that couldn't even protect themselves against normal men, instead of other warriors who volunteered to fight these beasts; his job had just become that much more difficult. He may not know or worry for the people of the city that much, but he cared; it was his duty to defend these people now, and enough times he'd seen someone slain when they couldn't protect themselves or their family. His glare was burning cold as he charged forward, ethereal green energy forming in his hands and blazing to life in the form of a greatsword; his will made manifest with the intent to kill. "Torag," he prayed silently, "Let them come to me, and make them..." Tryggve descended upon one of the demons, his blade flashing with a single, powerful stroke. "Break."
Thank you for trusting us enough to explain what's been going on with you. You have my condolences and empathy. I have someone special and i couldn't bear to think of what would happen if something like that happened to her. So no worries, and I hope you can still find someone special again. Anyway, I'll be posting later tonight. I'm planning to charge ahead and keep the aggression on me, so I think I can make a 60 ft charge attack. Supertank, do your thing!
The minute the explosion hit, Tryggve was already assessing anything he could classify as a threat or acting with suspicion; though he was surprised by the sudden destruction of a distant ward tower, he didn't let it show, his expression becoming cold and focused. This wasn't the first time he had been surprised attacked, and it wouldn't be the last. People began screaming and running in panic, and he clicked his tongue; the panic always made a situation more annoying to deal with. Thankfully, Korina surprisingly cried out to the crowd and the soldiers, getting their wits together at her insistence. Even if it was unexpected, Korina had been showing herself to be an unpredictable woman. With a nod to the white haired woman, Tryggve kept his back to his new acquaintances and continued to survey the scene with spring-loaded tension. "Everyone, stay close and yell if you see a threat!"
At Chi's statement, Tryggve smiled gently, his expression filled with melancholy. He didn't care so much for her statement of a 'clan'. After all, she was probably from some elven tribe. "Those who abandon family deserve every ounce of suffering they receive; you're a good woman Chi." And at Lune's statement, Tryggve's stoic demeanor broke down into heavy chuckles. "Kehehehehe! Agreed; they also give bodyguards a decent challenge by being such easy targets."
With crossed arms, Tryggve continued to stand silently and listen to the conversation. All this talk of purpose seemed a little trivial at the moment. That wasn't to say it wasn't interesting, it's just that it came on so suddenly and began pulling everyone into the debate, even though none of these people even truly knew the other. For people to have such comfort in the presence of strangers; it always impressed the warrior just how easily people could come together. And at the same time, the conversation made him uncomfortable. When it came to his own purpose, he couldn't say for sure what it truly was or why it existed. Sure, he knew what he WANTED his purpose to be, but with everything he's experienced, it was hard to say for sure whether or not that was the truth. That's not to say he didn't have his opinions, but compared to those who seemed so sure of themselves, his thoughts felt trivial. Instead he drew his attention to Chi, since she hadn't given her own opinion yet. He still felt some guilt at scaring her off before, so he wanted to act just a little nicer than usual toward her to make up for it. Besides, he was interested; she probably had a better opinion than he did, after all. "Chi, was it?" Tryggve asked with a nod, his tone curious. "What do you think?"
"Same here; I just arrived several hours ago, so I'm still getting used to the city's layout," Tryggve casually replied to Adea, shrugging his shoulders as he spoke. As for Korina, Shinari, and Dhaunae's conversation, the towering barbarian could only tilt his head in slight confusion. He wasn't sure where the conversation came from, nor where it was going, but the Red-eyed warrior couldn't help but think of his own self at the mention of one's purpose. He thought about adding his own opinion, but it seemed unnecessary, so he opted for a neutral shrug instead. "Seems everyone's a philosopher today..."
At Arae's statement, Tryggve visibly stiffened, though quickly recovered and acted normally. Again, he was reminded how similar Korina was to his sister; he could easily shake it off and forget it, but he hated someone bringing up the idea. Looking away with a small frown, Tryggve scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "We aren't siblings, just so you know." Looking back at Area, the near-albino nodded in recognition, his expression stoic again. "And I'm Tryggve. A pleasure." Then his attention turned to Shinari, who greeted them politely. Stoically, Tryggve took and shook the holy-man's hand, gripping firmly. Though Tryggve may have garnered a title as the "Soul Sever", he wasn't too keen on letting that slip unless these people already knew, or if they turned hostile. "Tryggve. Just Tryggve. Nice to meet you both." He nodded to Dhaunae as well.
Tryggve continued to smile Chi's agreement over his love for strawberries. It was nice to know that some people found the delicious fruit as amazing as he did. Though not very keen on sharing his rare treasure with anyone else, Tryggve felt Chi's enthusiasm earned her at least one. So, he plucked one from his small treasure box, and handed it over to the scarred elf woman. "It's good to know that others have good taste." Prompted by Korina's statement, Tryggve looked in the direction of the silver haired man and his...exotic traveling companion. Now, the near-albino warrior was never one to judge by looks alone; after all, that's how you got killed quickly in the world. But in a city like Kenabras, where anything considered demonic or even out of the norm was mercilessly hounded (including himself), he couldn't help but wonder HOW the woman with horns and a tail next to the man could continue walking without being hounded by local authorities. The other thing he noticed, which was more surprising, was how the man seemed so protective of the Tiefling. Oh, it wasn't as obvious as keeping her shielded from people, but it was in the way he stepped and the gaze in his eyes; Tryggve would be a fool not to recognize that the man cared a lot for her, or at least considered her worth protecting. He also took notice of the woman who stopped just behind their little group. Hey barely turned his head and glanced in her direction; he didn't like being caught off guard by new arrivals. She looked fairly attractive, with short raven hair and a lithe figure. More interesting, however, was the inherent grace she held; she was obviously someone swift and deadly. "More strange company, huh?" He stated aloud. Though the strange couple was walking toward them, Tryggve kept his attention more on the woman behind him. Swift warriors were always annoying for him to handle, and if she turned out to be an enemy, he would damn well be prepared to counter. Such were the thoughts that went through the warriors head.
Hey no worries Ellismus. If your character wouldn't meet up with the others unless something happened or we were forced into a battle, that's a perfect way for you to get into the party! Besides, we need a backstabber and trapfinder; I can't shield us from everything. Also, good to hear that TSP is doing better. I've just been settling into my new job and getting back into Warmachine in the meantime.
"Stay with me? Well, it's more like I've been sticking around her this entire time; I just got to this city after all, and she offered to show me around." He nodded to Korina before continuing. "But we've seen a few things so far; I was planning on visiting the competition area before the day was out...and..." He stared down, looking at the tiny box he held underneath his cloak. It was odd, he thought, how much he began to speak. It was small, barely noticeable since it was him doing it, but even he knew he wasn't much of a talker. Not just that, but he would rarely find himself surrounded by good company without actively seeking it out. These people merely found him and surrounded him, even if a one or two were still wary of him. It was nice to be sought out instead of being the one seeking others... He smiled just a little brighter than before. "Might as well enjoy this," he thought. "After all, I may never see these people again after today." Pulling out the small box, he held it out to reveal his prize catch for the day. "I was surprised when I found a stand selling strawberries so far up north like this. I guess I couldn't help myself."
As both Korina and Chi spoke, Tryggve began to calm down. His anger, though subtle and calm, was still obvious, he realized. It wouldn't do to get angry with Korina's torturers if she didn't hold a grudge herself, nor would it do to make Chi more nervous than she already was. He hated how she acted nervously around him; which was strange in itself. Tryggve stared at Chi's form for a moment, his gaze still tense but softened with curiosity. The large man had been used to getting those types of reactions from all sorts of people, and even if he found it annoying to find decent folk look at him with concern, he was used to it. Something about Chi made him really not want to give off that impression. Maybe he was tired of scaring off the wrong people, or maybe it was something about her specifically? He brushed it off, however. "Who knows... Still, the thought of a young girl being tortured like that easily boiled his blood. He could understand to an extent, but in a world where a paladin could sense those kinds of things, it didn't make sense to him. The thought of Korina being tortured in such a vivid way, as quiet and frank as she was, almost made him ill, especially since she looks so much-"No, stop that. What the hell is the matter with you..." Shaking off the tension he held, Tryggve nodded in reply. "Alright, good points. It's just hard to think that things are so bad over here, where there should be a lot of paladins and clerics and such, that even kids can get caught up in this fearful insanity. Still," he glanced over at the city walls toward the World Wound, a melancholic look on his face. "I guess I can't blame people for going overboard...protecting what they care about."
"But isn't she the one who-...never mind. I'll avoid 'bumping' into her again, alright? You can calm down." He couldn't blame Lune now that he understood what her deal with him was; she was just looking out for her friend. He could completely respect that, even if it did cause him a little grief from the strange priestess. When Chi mentioned the inquisitors as well, Tryggve glanced curiously at her. It seemed like she herself had some experience with the unpleasant men at the front gate, but the way she said it put him on edge. He himself had only been read the riot act and threatened with something more physical, which he narrowly avoided by explaining how that WASN'T going to happen. But Chi was someone weaker, at least when compared to him, and he suddenly wondered exactly where she had gotten those burns from. But before he could comment, Korina spoke up. At the mention of Korina's own encounter from the inquisitors, Tryggve's whole body instantly tensed up. As he listened to her description, he could slowly feel his teeth unconsciously begin to grind and his hands gripping tightly in his crossed arms. Branding irons, nail rippers, and other forms of torture. On a young woman who, if she hadn't been proven demonic, was completely innocent of wrong doing. It was like a paladins ability to sense the evil within a person wasn't good enough for them. His steely gaze shifted between Chi and Korina, pupils slowly dilating as he felt his anger rise. The intense, beastly focus he had become so used to over the years began to slowly slip closer to his mind, and it took every ounce of effort to keep his voice calm and his face expressionless. "Is this true?" His voice was somewhat colder than usual. "Did they do this to you? The both of you? Chi, is that how you got those burns?"
Embarrassed, Tryggve scratched hat his cheek while glancing away from the group. Korina and Chi immediately began to converse while Lune kept glaring at him. At first, he just looked curiously back at her, not feeling very threatened at the moment; but their talk about him was something he wasn't used too. The near-albino usually spoke for himself, but have others put all of their attention on him so suddenly and non-violently was...strange. "Not that the attention isn't flattering," he spoke up, coughing into a fist for attention. "But...yeah. No worries about running off; actually, I wanted to apologize. You startled me back there, and I'm not used to people bumping into me like that unless...well, nevermind. Sorry I scared you like that." He nodded toward Chi respectfully as he continued. "The name's Tryggve; Tryggve Enoch Mathias. As for what the world intends of me," he glanced off to the side again, his brow furrowed, "I honestly couldn't care less." Turning back to Lune, he realized that she was still glaring at him. With an exasperated tone, he crossed his arms and glared back at the priestess-looking-woman. "Alright, I give up. What the hell's you're beef with me, lady? If you think I'm tainted or some dumb s*#+ like that, the idiots at the front gate already checked me, so stop giving me that look."
"Maybe, but then how come I don't feel so flattered?" Tryggve replied flatly to Korina. A there were a few other people who gave him strange and wary glances as well, though he was used to such looks by now; his presence my have drawn attention to the pair, but at least Korina's suitors would leave her alone like she wanted. It's just that...unless people already knew about him, they didn't give him such angry glares. Maybe the woman thought he was tainted, like the inquisitors suspected? Then he felt a lite tap on his shoulder, prompting him to turn around. To his surprise, the hooded elf woman stood before him. "Oh," he stated, not exactly sure how to respond to her presence; he was sure she would avoid him for as long as possible. "Umm...yes?"
Tryggve's eyebrows furrowed, thinking hard about Korina's statement. He couldn't deny that she had a point about the gods all playing a part in their lives, but at the same time he thought it was difficult to grasp. Just how many gods should one worship? For what purpose does one worship then? And how about himself? For everything he's been through, why does he keep praying to Torag if it doesn't seem to help... "I guess," he slowly started, still trying to think hard about it. "Well...hell I don't know. I guess you just acknowledge the other gods and then worship the one that you feel leads you in life? The best example I can think of is myself; I don't really worship Torag, but I pray to him now and again because he symbolizes protection. It helps me focus on what I think is important...I guess?" With a grunt and a head shake, he continued. "I don't usually think about the philosophy of worship; I pray for focus, hope for the best, and take care of trouble myself when it comes up." With a familiar flash of red out of the corner of his eye, Tryggve glanced across the crowd to catch sight of a familiar elven woman with burns on her face. He stared at her for a moment; even with the burns, she was quite easy on the eyes. The red eyed barbarian still felt a bit guilty for scaring the poor woman off, but as usual, he felt that going to apologize would cause more trouble; she might think he was following her to cause trouble, and he didn't need a headache like THAT again...
"I guess it would get more confusing?" Tryggve replied, thinking about it himself. "It would get annoying to worship multiple gods if you wanted to gain any benefits or favor with them. Besides, sometimes people feel that the god they worship best represents what they think is most important in life...at least that's what I feel."
Though not exactly sure of what Korina meant, Tryggve didn't look forward as much to receiving a blessing from the Lord Inquisitor...whoever the hell that was. After his run in with the Inquisitors at the entrance and the rumors that surrounded them, he cared very little for them and their zealous methods. Still, getting a blessing wouldn't hurt. He followed behind Korina as the crowd made their way to the cathedral. I'm guessing this Lord Inquisitor isn't actually that pleasant of a person either? Are ALL inquisitors such...well...jackasses?
"You have no idea," Tryggve replied, exchanging some coin for a small box of the delicious red fruit. His eyes nearly sparkled in anticipation; to him, strawberries were the one godsend in his life. "I never had strawberries growing up. But once I started traveling several years ago, I happened upon a caravan of food traders who were transporting them cross-country." His eyes welled up in joy. "I never tasted something so sweet, yet thirst quenching. It was like nectar from the heavens themselves, blessing my tongue with pure satisfaction." Thanking the merchant. he turned and opened the box, revealing the glittering forms of the soft, crimson fruit. Tryggve already felt his mouth begin to water, licking his lips in anticipation. It was almost comical just how seriously focused on the fruit he was. Grasping one, he gently cradled it in his hand as he lifted it up to his lips, and took a slow, smooth bite from it. Closing his eyes and savoring the taste, a look of pure satisfaction spread across the near-albino's features.
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