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Through a Wayward Glimmer -- to a Faraway Place

Character Name: Robert Owen Barrister
Occupation: Sawmill operator / woodcutter
Age: 25 yrs
Special features: "Built like a barn", Intelligent

Equipment:

1 pair heavy leather boots
3 axes, each meant for a different function; A small adze for removing stobs, a large double bearded axe for felling, and a wide-beard hand axe for smoothing.
Timberman's / longshoreman's hook.
Heavy leather tool belt
Leather apron
Cloth hat
Heavy muslin shirt and trousers
Leather gloves
Worn, repeatedly patched socks

Bio:

Robert is the only son of Garvis Barrister, the current owner of the mill at which he works. His mother passed away years ago. His father's mill employs 5 other men from the local community, and supplies timber and rough-cut wood products to the surrounding communities.

He absolutely *hates* his job.

While now a matter of ancient history, the Barrister family were not *always* woodcutters. About 4 generations prior, the great great grandfather was in fact a lawyer, living up to the family name. He had appropriated the sawmill as collateral back payment for a court case, prior to suffering significant financial hardships (From clients that refused or were otherwise unable to pay their legal fees), forcing him and his family to change careers in order to survive with what they had. Namely, the aforementioned sawmill.

It was in derelict condition when they received it, and it has taken this long for the thing to return to proper, full working order.

Garvis very much wants Robert to take over mill operations, and to settle down with a nice village girl to carry on the work.

Robert, however, *VERY MUCH* wants to pursue more intellectual work, and is always looking for ways to be rid of the damn mill.

While inspecting and recording the delivery of timber products to the local market, the king's pressbill caught his eye. 1000 gold would go a LONG way toward starting a new life, away from his overbearing and belligerent father.

Through a Wayward Glimmer -- to a Faraway Place

--Moved to characters--

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Cedar was nothing but inconsolable tears and inhuman 'groaning' or 'roaring' combined with deep-seated despair. Acting in his stead, his sisters responded, alternating between scolding the other "rescuers" for their lack of tact with "wounded animal" psychology, and trying to soothe their brother before he really and truly lost his mind.

"Look idiot, He' readeh tuh go ou'side, just stop ya damn grabbin' an' pushin! We's in 'ere tuhs ya know!"

"We lose an eye or summat, all a'cause you folk's cain't grok no' tuh wrestle a des'prate bear, we gunna takes it person'al!-- [Calm daown bruh-- calm daown... sss'ok.. We jus' goin' ou'side...] "

"Ya wan' us tuh get movin, we got our han's full-- Pick a direction-- We usin' da fron' door, or goin' back out da way we came?"

"If we goin' out da fron-- Stop pushin' US-- and push DIS SHIT outta our way astead-- we gots our han's full as-is-- Ya wanna hurry us along? Pick a path, an' clear it! [yo' frien's always dis thick bruddah?]"

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

"Cedar, get the hell away from that bear! Stritzel is a traitor, and he is her ally! Aiding them is treason against the crown! If you do this, I-!"

...

"Whatever you think you're doing, it's not worth it!"

Cedar looked down at his feet, then out at Ted, rampaging in the room beyond, then back down again.

"No matter what happens Cedar, know that you are a good person."

All at once, he just started bawling.

"... Uh ain't doin' it fer fuckin.. HER..." he sobbed, clutching his sister's tightly and hugging them for all he was worth, shivering and weak. "...It were fer HIM..."

It was at that time that Varya grabbed him, eliciting a repressed, almost instinctual, reaction. Teeth came out, and a fierce snarl, and before he could stop himself, the elf man's hand got bit-- HARD.

"DON' TOUCH ME!" he raged between sniffs, then incomprehensible babble, ending with "... At bitch... Touch'd me 'nuff."

Then looked back out again at Ted.

"....He dun even WAN be saved.... Fine... Kill 'im... It wut ya want... an uh caint stop ya. Take meh home. Dun wanna see no moar... Don wanna feel no moar..."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

"Cedah, this is CRAZEH!" hissed Lily into his ear.
"He nearleh kill' us!" whimpered her sister in agreement in the other one.

He nipped at Lily's nose, then growled at Rose.

"He ...Had .. At .. BITCH.. In 'is .. head.." he snarled between ragged, and labored breaths. His body was in no condition for the abuse the adrenaline pumping through him was causing, but need and determination kept it flowing. "Jus. Stop afore we .. Gits tuh close..." he muttered more congenially after. ".. He jus.. Wanna save .. 'is momma..-- We gunna 'elp him .. does 'at."

Both sets of ears beside his own sank back, and two pairs of very wary eyes showed whites at him, but said no more-- A wordless "we hope you know what you are doing."

Within moments, the trio converged within the prescribed distance of Ted-- Well outside his "bubble" of comfort, but within talking distance. He was still furiously beating himself against the heavy metal door, leaving a vivid, body-shaped smear on the surface from the repeated impacts-- and his lack of skin.

"... At'd be easier... with four... no?"

Seemingly unaware of their presence, The Gladiator bear ignored the regard. His claws crowbarred the partially oppened door, and he forcefully shoved his muzzle through the gap, only to be flinched backward after having his wounded snout collided with whatever obstacles behind that dented iron.

"We.. Won' .. stop ya.. Ted.... Uh wunna.. helps... ya.....'astead..." Drawled cedar wearily, almost forlornly, before heaving a deep breath to steady himself, pushing back the demands of the aderenaline, despite his heart pounding in his ears, and making stars and lights in his vision. He paused a minute, letting Ted work unabated, before speaking again. As close to calm as he could muster. ".. Dey.. Don.. un'erstaand... Cain't... Un'erstand... ... How coul' dey?..." He shook his head side to side. "... E'en dese two... ... Dey jus.. wan'd tuh saves meh..... Likes you wan... Save ..Her.... We's... In dis... Tugether..."

For a moment, the attempt to break through the door stopped. The Gladiator-Bear growled, one hand cluthing his bleeding nose, while dthe other grappling the dented gap to support his massive bulk. It was at that moment he heard that pathetic plea, and the sight of two other bears he encountered erlier. The anger rekindled again, and letting himself fell all of his four paws, Ted let out a primal roar.

"Leave me alone!"

For now the bear's attention was less on Cedar and more on the two other bears behind him. A fair warning was given, from a beastly creature who was literally cornered. His glowing claws sheated, his fangs bared. And he would strike at anyone who dared to approach.

"Ted... If 'at... Realleh what yus... wan'.... We'sll go... Buht....." Cedar sighed, breathed deep, then resumed. .." Uh. Aint.. useless..." He made a weary, plaintive smile with soft eyes, and lazy, sagging ears. "Gives meh a chance... tuh proves it?"

"Leave ME BE!" the angered Gladiator-Bear raised himself up and roared, brandishing his claw and ready to strike. The only thing he could catch from the speech were the word 'help' and by that instant, he felt whatever left of his pride pricked. The word had betrayed him in the worse possible way. They hurted him because of that word help, they did it all under the name of helping, and worse of all, What that witch had done to him was out of the intention to help, pleaded by his own mother off all people.

Stood unchallenged for a while, Gladiator-Bear's attention suddenly shifted back to the door, when some yellings could be heard behind it.

"It stopped! Captain!"

"Are you daft!" Did you not heard the roar?! The beast is still there!"

"Fuck this shit! It aint worth shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! I'aint signied for it, none of were!"

"You stand on your ground soldier! Mack! Barrick, move that couch! We need to reinforce it before---"

In that instant, Ted The gladiator spun around and rammed his shoulder against the door, focusing the impact on the already bent hinges.

"Stay where you are!" said the voice behind the door. "Whatever comes from that door we fight it!"

"Ya hear 'at?" asked Cedar in a deadpan tone, looking past him at the door. "... em idiots gunna stup ya. Poke ya full a holes-- 'Cause dey IDIOTS.. ... An ya ain't e'en got no SKIN on!" He looked at Ted with a blank, and featureless expression "Ya kin kill meh la'er-- Bu' you NEED dis help-- you KNOWS it."

His expression become more wryly quizical. "WHo you radder see on the stick-- Yaself, ... Or meh?" Then stern again. "Or-- I kin turn an walk 'way;... Yur call...---Be'er make i' quick... She commin' up de stairs."

Whatever Cedar was saying, all was lost in the last roar as the bear focused his sheer might to break through the door. With less people pushing it against, the door finally busted open, along with the large bookcases behind it. Clawing himself up and out, the enraged Bear-Gladiator rampaged toaward the first human he sees and swatted him away, sending flying through the windows next to the entrance. The counter attack from the remaning humans was carried out half-assedly, but one of them somewhat managed to to stab Ted's abdomen.

The guard's face was dumbfounded upon realizing that his spear could barely pierce through the skin, the only expression he could show before Ted brutally grab him by his head and crush it with a single slam.

Cedar sighed, and waited in the hall behind the smashed door, as Ted savaged the guards, wearily shaking his head side to side. He could hear the angry footfalls of someone closing behind. He did not turn to face it. Just waited patiently for Ted to finish his grim "work."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Cedar glowered at the burning revenant, and did not mince words with it, sucking in a breath to steady himself for the very fast rate of speech he would need to do, in the debilitated state he was in.
These "DECISIONS" others were making for him HAD- TO- STOP. It was nice and good that they had come to rescue him, but the .... CALLOUSNESS... that they were displaying about this burned in him just as hot as the fire that had been in the previous room.

"Liss'nyous--Uh ain't gots time tuh waste on da likes a yah, an' ifn' uh was still able tuh throws ya, uh would-- Lilleh, Rose-- Dis sumbitch stan in da way, SHOVE'IM. SAVIN' AT MAN UP ERE, BEEN DA ONLEH THANG AS KEP' ME ALIVE, AN I WILL *NOT* SUFFER YOUS 'DECIDIN' FER ME! YA HEAR!?"

He made a move to push past Bart, only to be bodily blocked. He looked at Lily, then at Rose, with a "You heard me" look, then the two made plaintive faces, and apologized to the flaming headed armor, before bodily shoving him.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

"Yous .. Might wanna.. Write im off..." he spat at the witch- "..Buh uh.. won'.."

He glared at her menacingly, even though quite likely, a good slap would send him to his side with how she had sucked him dry with her unholy equipment.

"Ya kin .. takes ya.. HATEFUL.. EVIL.. CROOKED .. MOUTH-- An' Shove .. it up.. ya ASS, .. Ya BITCH. ... Uh hopes he.. Comes back Fer ya!.."

He purposefully urged his sisters to carry him past her, and to ignore anything that twat had to say. SHE was the reason for ALL of this, really. ... At least.. He wanted to believe she was.

He sucked in a breath, then did his best to call up the stairs, only half-succeeding with coughs and sputters between utterances.
"TED--" (hack, wheeze)
"UH'LL HELP YA SAVE 'ER!"

He gulped air as his head swam. Being depleted like this, and halfway to to the grave (or more) was no way to go about this.

"WE'S COMMIN UP... [Heave] .. WON'T BE NO TROUBLE."

He turned his weary head back over his shoulder, and drolled behind. ".. Uh .. 'Member 'at Fat-man.. At.. Fang'orn.. NO' AGEEN. Ya's hears meh?! NO' AGEEN! Onleh ways I's goin' out's, Ei'er dead, or wit' 'ose two safes!... Ya hears!? ... Nuh moars kids.. as losin' fam'ly... Nuh moar.... Suh.. Eier.. GIT AOUT... .. Er HELP MEH."

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Cedar suddenly started fighting his sisters, trying desperately to turn back toward the side hall they had fled past.

"W..eh... Go.tta... 'elps 'im!" he rasped. "He.. dun know.. no be'er... Deys .. deys gun. kill'r fer sures..."

"Dis" (hack) "'at ladeh as wants ta roll ya" (bark, cough, wheeze) "da hay Cedah?" Chided Lily, just before her brother's claws dug into her arm and shoulder. She bellowed, dropped him, then looked at him in shock.

"Da Hell ya doin!? She got ya all fire' up AT bad bruh? Don' hurt US-- we's 'ere ta gits you out!"

"IT.. AIN'.. Funnneyh..." he protested indignantly before over-exerting himself, then slipping to the floor with his head bowed. "Uhs.... Seened a man.. git blowed up.. ... Fang..horn... No' 'ere tuh..... Please.. No' 'ere.. tuh.."

Lily and Rose looked at each other with their ears pulled back, then at Cedar with grimmaces of extreme displeasure. Lily sucked in a troubled breath, then coughed clear fluid onto the floor beside her before voicing her dissent.

"Cedah-- 'at SUMBITCH tried tuh rip muh throat ou'-- 'en rubbes muh nose in 'at fire back ere-- AN YOUS WANTS TUH SAVES IM!?"

"He a right ass, Cedah!"

"Sss...soos... Oaak.. .. He's.. MUH.. asshole.. bruthuh..." He looked down at the floor, and started crying. "..An uh. loves him.... " He looked back the twins, eyes wet with tears, but sharp, hard, and resolute. "Ted's.. MUH asshole... Tuh... We GOTS TA SAVE ... HER... Ta saves... HIM..."

"HE GOT A NAME?!"
"Yeah... Ted.."
"An' wutserface, as we gots to 'saves'?"

He waited an uncomfortable amount of time, just staring harshly into Rose's face with an expression that could curdle milk. (or at the very least, make village children wet themselves) then finally answered. One word. Harsh. Contempt filling every syllable. "..KAITLYN..."

The girls looked at their brother, then at each other a second time, as the sound of beating from the metal door continued.

"At' door's locked-- Gunna take 'skinless wonder' a righ' minute. We gunna help 'im, we bettah catch's ups."
"...Righ'..."
"You bettah be righ' 'bout dis, Cedah..."
"Uh hopes.. so.."

They rolled their eyes, as they scooped him back up again, then headed THE WRONG WAY toward the locked metal door leading up into the mansion, instead of the SANE, SENSIBLE, CLEAR, SAFE, and PROPER exit, the way they came in, shuffling up the stairs behind the bloody massacre of flesh that was Ted, the Gladiator Bear.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Lily shifted Cedar's weight over her shoulder, trying to keep him from pressing on where she had been burned, (or where Ted had savaged her), while Veronica passed the small ivory trinket to him. He looked at it confusedly and made a voiceless "how? with what?" expression. Her heart let out for her brother, as she fished in the fur in her neck for the small blue scarab, pulled it free of its fluffy prison, then slid the chain off her neck, and around his, and gave it a pat, silently. A look of stunned wonder crossed his face, before he nuzzled her silently. It was a weak, and pitiful nuzzle, but it radiated genuine love, affection, and thanks.

Without hesitation, the tall masked man had set to work, calling another ... being... from wherever he called them from. Her lungs hurt. It was hard to breathe. She looked at Rose, and she was all bristles, teeth, and eyes, but ready to throw in beside her carrying their brother, and quickly scooped up his other shoulder to carry him between them, in haste if needed. She could tell from the stifled cough, that she had the same problems from the fumes as she did, though maybe less, from not trying to fight the fire herself.

---

Cedar held the two charms, one in each hand--the chains having been slipped over his withered, balding head. He looked at the tiny blue stone insect in his haggard paw, remarking how incredible it was. ... What he would have done for this.. just a few days ago...

It wasn't really the way magic was 'supposed' to feel. Magic felt like excitement, energy, vitality, and life inside your veins, eager to get out and take on the world. It could also be calm, soothing and gentle, like the whirlings of a summer breeze through your fur. This was... Something else. This was like a blanket had been wrapped around him, warm and ready.. Something outside yourself, but standing passive, waiting for you to pull it in, and make it yours.

It was not how it was supposed to feel. But it was something.

---It was something.

The other though? He had no idea. He didn't have time to think about it long-- he was vaguely aware of Solomon and his latest summon snuffing out the hot glow from around the corner, as his sisters began to move in earnest like they meant it. --And he knew deep down they did. He tried to think what would best calm Ted-- Everything he had tried to say to him had only somehow made things worse between them. Made Ted even more jealous. More angry. More hateful... What could he possibly say to him? His mind wheeled and came up empty many times in the shortness of a heart's beating as he was carried forward and around the corner.

And then he saw him.

Saw Ted. ... What was left of him.

All at once, his heart and mind raced. Visions of Kaitlyn Stritzel, the woman who had forced herself on him more times now than he could count, erupted in his mind unbidden and unbridled. He could hear... He could FEEL the wailing horror of the woman, cloying and howling through his skin; Pounding in his heart-- imagining her reaction to what she would see had happened to her "boy", "Her Ted."

That phantasm of the imagination merged, and fused with his own horror at seeing him that way. Deep down, he knew he had fallen in love with Ted in his own way. It had been that love that had kept him alive down here in this hole of misery and suffering. That had given him the courage and will to keep on living, and to face the cruelties visited on him daily; with measured resolve.

Whenever he looked at Ted, he saw Oak. The brother that he had chased bugs with. That he had suckled their mother beside. That he had chased their father's legs and played tag with...

... And the one that wanted nothing more to do with him, and who's face only contorted with contempt when he came to visit.

... The touch of humans... can be so cruel...

The visions combined into a symphony of unexpressed passion and need. How he imagined Stritzel would feel. How he felt. How he imagined Ted must feel right now, and without even knowing it, he held the ivory trinket firmly in his left hand, closed his eyes, and DARED TO FEEL IT ALL, as it poured out and through him, sucking at the ephemeral magic surrounding him; giving substance to the pain and anguish he felt, and morphing into that women's voice. Thin. Wavering. Desperate, and fragile. It screamed of vulnerability and passion.

"Oh God---"

it called inside and through him, shrill and mortified.

"Teddy! My Teddy! What have they DONE!?"

Then breathy, broken, and full of despair.

"....No!..."

"Teddy, Not here! Not like THIS!"

Before becoming more forceful, even vindictive and pained.

"Teddy Please! Just RUN! Run! Don't die down here, Teddy! Don't waste it on THEM! Don't waste your LIFE Teddy, JUST RUN!"

The bravado of the passionate plea faded, consumed by the breathy desperation once more, before ending in a mere whisper.

"Come to ME! Come to ME Teddy! ....COME TO ME!..."

"...I can't bear to be without you ..."
"... I love you..."

Then, just as suddenly as it tore through him, the voice was gone, leaving him clutching the hateful ivory talisman, with a sour and sick pain in his stomach.

His sisters had not stalled even a single moment, and had been traversing the room the whole time he had been consumed by the emotional deluge that had just ripped through him. They were drawing close to where Ted was-- battling the flaming head thing that he remembered from the tower fight with the wizard Asevor... He really needed to have a trip away from home that did not end in fighting like this some day... Gods.. He hoped.

It was his own turn now, to use his own voice, as the pair rushed him past, and out of arm's reach.

He reached out anyway, clawing at the air.

"Come.. wit.. Us..."

he rasped, as his sisters rushed him through the hall, and pulled Ted out of his sight.

Sovereign's Will: The Edge of War [Looking for new players]

Cedar was not sure what the hell was going on, but the sounds of Ted screaming cut him to the bone.

"O...Oh.GaAwd.. Tehh..Ed.." he rasped, tugging at his straps as the cell door flew open.

For the first time, he realized that veronica was there. He looked at her with a look of pure despair, then at Widernia. "Wuh...Wuh.. Di..Did.. ya.." breathing was hard, the air was burning his lungs."Does tuh hims.... Gawds... Ya kill..killin...im... Noo....--SAVE.. IM!!"

Lily and Rose rounded the corner mere moments later, then shoved Widernia against the wall from behind to push her out of the way, and bolted into Cedar's cell.

"FUCKS SAKE! WHUT DEY DO TUH YOU!?" shrieked Lily, looking at her brother's wizened form strapped into the bed, before angrily fumbling in her bag for her cutting knife, then setting to work on his restraints. No time to unbuckle, just cut and fucking run.

Rose was equally distraught, ripping the tubing out of his arm, and sending a small spray of blood into the filthy room. It looked like it hadn't been cleaned in weeks. Smelled like it too.

"Lih... Ros...... Noo... Yous.. Yous.. YOUS CAint.. CAINT BE.. Noh... Noh Here.."

The sound of Ted's approach intensified, as Lily scooped her brother up over her shoulder. He was ... So light...

Rose rounded on Widernia, Teeth bared, anger in every part of her sending all her fur standing on end. She reached out with scalded hands and grappled for Widernia's neck, but was prevented bodily by Veronica.

"WHAT. DID. YOU. DO?!" she bellowed at the mage defiantly all the same.

She was hung over, her hands felt like they were on fire, and her heart pounded in her chest. Lily had Cedar over her shoulder now, and carried him like a limp dead animal out of the cell towards her sister.

"We dun gots time Rosie!" she said, but just as she was passing, Cedar seemed to become possessed with some kind of deeply held resentment and rage, as his own shriveled paw, covered in sloughing fur and radically withdrawn cuticles around his claws reached out and grabbed Veronica's shoulder and held tightly, while staring Widernia in the face with eyes that could cut stone.

"MAKE.. IT... STOP!!" he demanded.

"He... HATES.. YOU... YOu knowww..." he rasped, as his hand slid off veronica's shoulder.