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Post by redcoat on Jun 27, 2022 12:40:40 GMT -5
As the party splits, allowing time for Ellie and Si to catch up, we take a moment to focus in on the siblings.
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 27, 2022 12:45:11 GMT -5
Ellie let out a sigh of relief. "I have no idea why. We only met on the train... but then, we did fight a horrible nightmare together, so..." She shrugged and leaned back in her chair, running both hands through her hair.
"I'm sorry, again, for Tobias pulling a knife on you. We were spooked, and he gets overly defensive when we don't understand a situation. Scion hoped our guess was true, but it was only when you gave your name that he acted, and... honestly, that was good for him. He's not really ready to front, though, so you'll be talking to me for a bit, which is all just an incredibly complicated way of formally introducing myself."
Ellie took a breath and held a hand out to Si. "I'm Ellie. And Tobias, and Scion... but Ellie for now. And... I think we've both lost a lot since the last time we saw each other. Or... well, since long before that, I think..."
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Post by redcoat on Jun 27, 2022 13:12:42 GMT -5
Si nodded, as if this was all completely expected, and took Ellie's hand. "I'm Si. Honestly... I haven't used the name in so long, I was shocked as hell that anyone recognized it."
She smiled a bit, taking a sip of her tea. "Until recently, I was Cass. But probably best to keep that name to yourself. The way that your friend Pheuse likes to talk, well. I'd rather that one not get out."
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 27, 2022 13:25:59 GMT -5
Ellie felt a flush of relief at Si's casual acceptance of her introduction. It wasn't entirely unexpected - while there were many changelings enclaves in Khorvaire, most adopted and shed personas as often as they did clothes. Ellie did wonder if Si suspected just how deep Scion's personas went, though...
"Yeah... he doesn't really know the value of subtlety. Or he thinks he does, but..." She laughed and shook her head. "I'm surprised at Neuks, she's normally so gentle, but I think I had her too worried. I'm... still coming down off of that attack. I haven't had one in years, but... well, some things just hit you harder."
She hesitated, studying Si. "How... are you?"
((Insight: 17))
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Post by redcoat on Jun 27, 2022 14:09:12 GMT -5
"I've... been better." She said, frowning and looking around the shop. "Not much I can talk about in public. I got released from the Dreadhold this morning, thank goodness. I.... had an alright enough life. Rough, in places, but nothing compared to what could have happened. My life didn't start going to shit until towards the end of the war."
Ellie, an empathetic person, could see a few things about Si once the distraction of her companions was pulled away. Si had dark circles under her eyes, and shaky hands. She also kept a careful eye on the entrances, exits, and out the window.
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 27, 2022 14:33:54 GMT -5
Ellie recognized the look, as she tended to do the same whenever she walked into a new place - a habit she shared with Tobias, inherited from... the sleeping one.
"The Dreadhold? Why were you imprisoned?"
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Post by redcoat on Jun 27, 2022 14:57:55 GMT -5
Si chuckled. "It's Thrane. Heresy of the third order. Really though, possession of stolen goods and public intoxication."
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 27, 2022 15:10:30 GMT -5
"So a Sharn misdemeanor," Ellie said with a quick flash of a smile. "They really need to loosen up around here... I'm guessing you were doing something for a job?"
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Post by redcoat on Jun 28, 2022 7:44:58 GMT -5
"A job? No, just bad luck and shitty korluaat. I mean, all korluaat is shitty, but this particular batch was more 'How did I end up on this roof?' than 'Sleep for a few days'." She shrugged, absently poking a muffin, as if debating whether or not to eat it.
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 28, 2022 8:04:45 GMT -5
"Korluaat is a bad decision almost all of the time - if you're willing to drink that stuff, then things must have really been going poorly."
Ellie lowered her gaze to the table and scratched a nail at the tabletop, her expression growing pensive. "These last few years... and the war before. You said..." She paused. "I was... different... then. I wish I had an excuse for what I did, but... everyone had an excuse in the Last War, didn't they?"
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Post by redcoat on Jun 28, 2022 8:32:18 GMT -5
"The war itself is enough of an excuse, really. I didn't think I'd find you on the opposite side of it, though." She frowned deeply.
"After my failure to protect my target, I was assigned to a small military outpost on the Cyrian border called Forstwatch. They had a nasty habit of losing scouts, and a worse reputation for... everything else."
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 28, 2022 8:48:10 GMT -5
Ellie winced. "I didn't expect to see you at all - I was convinced you were dead. Seeing you there... I thought you were a hallucination. It... shook me. That's when Tobias first came into being, I think. He knew we couldn't... do what we did... anymore. We had to escape. The Mourning gave us the cover we needed to break free and make a run for it."
She continued to stare at the table, tapping her finger on it. "Were you in Forstwatch on the Day of Mourning?"
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Post by redcoat on Jun 28, 2022 8:55:08 GMT -5
"I don't know where I was. When Forstwatch fell, I was taken to a Brelish prison camp to await court martial for treason. Then Thrane raided the prison camp to rescue their own people, and captured me in the chaos. I was transported to Thrane with a batch of political prisoners. When the war ended, I took advantage of the chaos and slipped through the cracks."
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Post by Ancelas on Jun 28, 2022 8:56:25 GMT -5
"Treason?" Ellie looked up at her sister. "Why were you being court martialed? For... the attack?"
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Post by redcoat on Jun 28, 2022 9:02:50 GMT -5
She nodded, staring at the empty cup. "There's a reason scouts kept going missing at Forstwatch. They'd stumble on the conspiracy, they'd report to their commander, they'd disappear. The problem with that plan though is that I am very hard to kill."
She shrugged, forcing her eyes away from the cup.
"I uncovered the evidence, took it to the Commander directly, and was told to keep quiet about it so they could clean house while keeping the element of surprise."
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