Xarsthos hauls himself from the reeking pit, his boots slipping on loose shale. His chest rises and falls with heavy, ragged breaths. A woman lies pinned beneath a jagged slab of granite nearby, her fingers clawing uselessly at the dirt.
Herbalist Bera
You monster. That blade... you have brought death upon this entire village.
Xarsthos
The woman speaks with a trembling voice, but her eyes track the humming steel in my grip with more malice than fear. She is not the one I was sent to protect.
A figure emerges from the swirling purple mist, silhouetted against the broken tombstones. He wears rusted plate armor and clutches a heavy iron mace. He kicks a fallen headstone aside, stepping over the threshold of the sinkhole with practiced, lethal intent.
Valerius
Keep your distance, cur. That relic belongs to the master of this grave, and I am the hand that collects the tithe.
Xarsthos
This one smells of old blood and stagnant earth. He is no grave robber. He is a soldier of the one who hunts me.
+ Scene Quest Added
Defend against the hunter's soldier
“I turn to the soldier "I mean no harm" I exclaim. "I was only defending the merchant that was trapped here. I had no choice but to take possession of the blade" I persuade the warrior that I am no threat.”
SUCCESS (Fair Willpower, rolled +2)
Xarsthos
I mean no harm. I was only defending the merchant that was trapped here. I had no choice but to take possession of the blade.
Xarsthos spreads his hands wide, the humming, cursed steel hanging loose and dormant at his side. The intensity in the air shifts, the crackling violet energy around the sinkhole dimming as if the blade recognizes his intent. Valerius freezes, his mace lowering an inch, his brow furrowed beneath the rusted visor.
Valerius
You speak with the tongue of a diplomat, wanderer, but you carry the weight of a butcher. If you truly mean no harm, then surrender that steel to the earth where it belongs, and perhaps my master will let you walk away from this grave with your skin intact.
Xarsthos
He is hesitating. My reputation as a killer is known, yet my posture speaks of restraint. If I relinquish this blade, I am defenseless against him. If I keep it, I am his target.
The ground groans, shifting again, and a fresh tremor sends dirt raining down upon the pinned woman.
“"I accept your terms, but only if we do not have to fight" I reply. I turn and drop the blade into the pit. All the while keeping my eyes and focus on Valerius”
SUCCESS (Fair Willpower, rolled +2)
Xarsthos
If this metal is the source of your master's ire, then take it. Peace is worth more to me than a cursed edge.
Xarsthos releases his grip. The blade clatters against the jagged rim of the sinkhole before tumbling into the darkness below. A low, resonant hum echoes from the pit, vibrating through the shifting earth, before silence abruptly claims the graveyard. Xarsthos stands empty-handed, his eyes fixed steadily upon the soldier, his body coiled and ready to react should the promise of peace prove hollow. Valerius blinks, his grip on the mace loosening slightly, his gaze darting between the warrior and the void where the steel vanished.
Bera
Please... the ground is still moving. You must help me out of this trap before it claims us both.
Xarsthos
He is stunned by my compliance. Now, the question is whether his hunger for blood outweighs his fear of the void.
Quest Complete
Defend against the hunter's soldier
Attribute Upgrade: Willpower Fair→Good
+ Scene Quest Added
Rescue Bera from the collapsing sinkhole