video; un: raddude5000

[heroooic]

[Settled in a makeshift camp at the edge of Harsby, Finn waits until he's completely alone before connecting to his fellow Orbers. Helm tossed beside him in the grass, the kid looks a bit worse for wear. Bruises and healing cuts can be seen anywhere there was exposed skin and his long hair has become essentially one large tangle, but even so -- there is a spark in Finn's eyes.

After all, he'd just had a conversation with the Jun Shortaxe. It was all Finn could do to wait until he was alone to share what he'd learned with the rest of the team. And, y'know, get some lowkey bragging in. He's sixteen, whaddya want!]

Okay, so, uh. Got some hot goss to drop, y'all. Get ready for it. 'Cuz ya boy just had like, a fifteen minute conversation with, wait for it--Jun Shortaxe!

[The simulated audience applause and cheering (wooo-you'resocoolfinn-ahhhh) may not have been necessary, but he was definitely still doing it.]

--Hehe, um, anyway. [Okay, maybe the cheering was a little much. He's second guessing the cheering now.] I just wanted to pass on what we talked about so everyone can be on the same wavelength. He's like, so nice, just like everybody says. I told him all about how we're friends with Degar and how we need to get the Orb back 'cuz it's evil and he 100% gets it and wants to help us! The moment he finds out anything he's gonna let us know. Like, just, seriously... the nicest guy.

[Before Finn can get too deep in the gushing, he seems to snap out of it. There was way more to talk about here.]

He also gave me some history into the Songbird Brigade that never made it into the dossier. Apparently, they've been searching for the orb for a long time... like, even before Degar joined up with us. Jun wasn't even on the team for a long time, their leader used to be a paladin named Dweyre. But he bit the dust, so Degar recced Jun for the job. Guess not everyone was cool with that, but y'know, they were still looking for the orb and stuff. Oh--the orb's in a scepter, just like... uh, just like Felix said.

[The name feels weird to say, almost like he wasn't allowed to. Finn shrugs off the uncomfortable sense of shame and embarrassment, plowing ahead.]

S-So, uh, anyway--as they were on their way to get the orb, Degar gets Xim'd. They're really sad, but they keep going in his honor and make it all the way to the Silver Caverns where this Dragonborn creep has the orb. And they were fighting the guy, y'know, he was tough but whatever, Jun would've totally had 'em eventually. And then--Ellia Roundtree? From the dossier? Smokes Jun with some creepy warlock spell and totally betrays the whole party! [Finn is still scandalized by this fact.] Degar has no idea 'cuz he was already gone, or I'm sure he would've mentioned it in the dossier. Anyway, the dragonborn gets away 'cuz of all the chaos. But get this--they find him dead two weeks later, no orb on him at all. So whoever ganked him totally has it. I mean, or had it. I didn't really... ask how long ago that all was. Heh, whoops.

But that's kinda it for the Brigade... they all went their separate ways after that. You can tell Jun's still really torn up about it, poor guy. We really gotta help him.

[There was also the matter of Nina Darkwood, a woman who used to serve as Degar's guardian, but Finn doesn't go into it. Yelena and her posse were already on the way to pass on what they knew about Degar's whereabouts -- Finn figures they'll have more to share once they do.

Instead, Finn closes his video message with a proud grin.]

Also if anyone wants to get some fighting tips from like, the world's coolest guy, Jun said he trains 7AM every morning at the Knight's Guild and would totally give out some pointers to me and my friends. And you guys are all my friends! So... yeah!

I'll let you know if I figure out anything else, but for now... Finn, out.

Comments

video | un: asogi

[karumic]

Thank you for the summary, Finn.

[That's... a lot of info all at once, actually, and a lot of questions Kazuma has about it all. One thing at a time, though.]

Did he say why Miss Roundtree betrayed them? Was she after the orb herself?

[heroooic]

[Finn beams, both excited to see Kazuma and… okay, maybe holding back some laughter.

He just looks so different, okay??]

No, no, uh—[Finn very nearly loses the battle before centering himself. Get it together, Finn! Not your first orc!] He didn’t say why, he might not even know… the poor guy seemed like, mad broken up over the whole thing. I didn’t want to push him too hard on the deets, y’know?

[karumic]

[Kazuma scowls but doesn't comment. He doesn't look that funny, Finn (yes he does).]

While I can understand the man's distress, this could be critical information. Her actions resulted in the end of the Brigade and he doesn't even know why? Is it possible she was the one who later killed the dragonborn? That could mean she is the one currently in possession of the orb.

[heroooic]

Hey, he could totally know why! I just… didn’t ask him. But yeah, I mean, my money’s on her doing that nasty biz. If you’re willing to warlock-blast your party leader behind his back, what else are you capable of?

[It should be pretty obvious by now that Finn is taking Jun’s version of events entirely uncritically.]

I guess if you wanted to ask him, he’s gonna be at the Knight’s Guild in the morning… just, if you do ask, go easy. He’s one of the good guys and that whole thing was really messed up. It broke up their whole team.

[A fate worse than death, based on how crestfallen Finn sounded at the thought.]

[karumic]

[Kazuma is... still skeptical, but he can tell this is important to Finn and he wants to respect the little guy's feelings. His expression softens a little, or at least as much as an orc's expression can soften, which isn't much.]

I promise you I'll use discretion. I just want more information, not to interrogate him.

[heroooic]

[Finn nods, finding that to be agreeable.]

Just remember to mention that I sent you.

audio; un: felix

[swordandshield]

So you got to talk to your hero after all hmm.

[Said off-handedly, almost as if he wasn't really paying attention right now.

Felix could tell how that went without much imagination needed. The kid's excitement was palpable through the network. There's a pause in which Felix very silently judged Finn from across the "radio" waves. So much judging.

And yet... wait for it...]

Good job. Guess you can do something useful when you stick to what you're capable. And you obviously do like to talk.

1/2 felix omg

[heroooic]

[oh jeez, oh man]

2/2

[heroooic]

[The praise was thin, but it was praise. Were Finn on more solid footing, maybe that wouldn’t have been enough. But with how strange everything had been since arriving here, since Felix rescued him, well… it was hard to escape how good the approval felt.]

Heh, thanks… just trying to help out the team, y’know? [He tries for casual, but it doesn’t quite land. Does… does he talk too much? The awkwardness settling into his stomach is palpable and Finn is desperate for a subject change.] I saw you broke into the King’s vault… that’s like, crazy.

[And cool. So cool. His brief conversation with a local celebrity suddenly feels significantly less impressive upon remembering how Felix gleaned his information.] How’d you learn to do that stuff?

[swordandshield]

There was interesting information in there, kid. Half a gold star for trying. May need some pointers for next time...

[That was as close to saying "I'll teach you some things" as Felix was likely ever going to get. But as already pointed out by other Orbers on the network, there were a lot of questions left unanswered. Felix even had one of his own.

Was this hero for real or...? Well, Felix knew all too well how easy it could be to play with people's emotions.

Even without expecting Shortaxe to wind up as a secondary betrayer, Felix had thoughts on how to use such suspicions on someone so malleable. The idea was certainly rolling around in his head at the moment.

He switched gears as Finn asked the question, clear pride and the self-centered smile to go along with it entering his voice.]

Military special operations. I told you, I was trained by the best for years and not just for fun. We did similar work back during the war.

[heroooic]

[Much like the praise, Finn feels himself jumping on the word pointers like a starving dog. Validation was all well and good, but if you went without for long enough even a scrap started to feel like a full course meal.

The boasting was much the same, building Felix up even further as someone to impress.]

Wow, really? I know we're not really fighting any wars here, but... yeah, maybe you could give me a few tips? [All Finn's skittishness around Felix was morphing into hopefulness the more he spoke.] I'm a fast learner, seriously.

[swordandshield]

You might want to read up on past missions. One of them did involve a war.

[Just to be pedantic for the sake of it. Felix imposed a noticeable pause in the conversation as if he had to truly consider the desperate entreatment (as if he hadn't been the one to make the offer first).]

They're useful skills for the kind of work we're doing here. If you really like this adventuring thing they'll continue to be useful when we all go back to our lives. [ ... ] Trial run. I'll give you a few things to practice, and if you get good I'll give you a few more.

[heroooic]

[Pedantry missile is a direct hit. Finn laughs, embarrassed. Luckily, Felix didn't stop talking there. At the offer, the teenager's eyes visibly light up.]

Wait, forreal? Dude, yes! [He looks more excited than he has in a while, squaring up his posture eagerly.] Hit me, I'm so ready!

video; un: redgrave

[shishkabob]

Oh, good job, kid. I might take him up on that—I signed up with his order, so I've got an excuse. [And maybe between that and name-dropping Finn he might be able to get some honest information out of the guy. Hopefully, anyway.

Still. Hm. Ellia Roundtree. That's another lead they can use, if they can find her.]

Did Shortaxe happen to mention the dragonborn's name? He's dead now, but if we can drop his name and ask around, maybe we'll dig up another connection.

[heroooic]

[Finn blinks. It hadn’t even occurred to him to ask the question! This investigation stuff had a steep experience curve…]

Eesh, no… I don’t even know if Jun knew his name. [He scrunches up in thought for a moment.] Maybe it’s enough to know a Dragonborn died under mysterious circumstances? News like that could’ve gotten around, right?

[shishkabob]

Place like this? Mysterious circumstances happen all the time, or else we’d all be out of jobs. Did he tell you when it happened?

[Years, he imagines. Sounded like Degar had been on the station for a while.]

Maybe we can ask Ellia if we find her. She’s gotta be out there somewhere—maybe under a different name, maybe even under a different face.

[heroooic]

[Finn cringes, visibly shrinking a bit. No, Dante. No he did not.]

I, uh... no? [And then, hastily:] He just seemed really broken up about it! His whole friend group split up, I didn't want to interrogate him about it, y'know?

[It's a lame excuse and he kind of knows it, but it's also the truth.]

Maybe someone could ask him at training. He didn't say anything about it all being a secret and he knows we're a big team... I'm sure he'd tell you everything, he's a really good guy.

[shishkabob]

Fair, but hey, that’s something to keep in mind for the next time, yeah? Don’t forget, we’ve got a job to do here—sometimes that means we have to do the hard thing.

[Something that Dante’s had to learn over the years. Still, he doesn’t blame Finn, he seems so damn young.]

That, and I’m in his order. We’d probably have to run into each other anyway. [A brief hesitation, then:] Y’know, the Grand Cross had a lot to say about him.

[heroooic]

[People were out here joining whole orders?]

Good things, I hope.

audio; un: Sabriel.Abhorsen; after Dean's post

[bindsthedead]

Well done.

Perhaps we should speak with Elia, and see what her explanation is. Because the one who originally stole the Orb from the king had a good reason, if what Dean's found can be trusted. If she was in league with the original thieves, she might have been trying to keep the orb away from the king.

In any case, I'll attend that training session. There's always something new to learn.

[heroooic]

[At first, Sabriel's logic seems solid to Finn. That would be a good reason for someone to want to stop the Brigade from accomplishing their mission. But when Finn thinks about it a moment longer, he frowns.]

But the Brigade were her friends. Why wouldn't she just talk to them if she knew the King couldn't get the orb back? These are Degar's peeps we're talking about, I know they would've listened.

[bindsthedead]

True. Which just raises more questions. Was she in league with the dragonborn? That would explain why she didn't wait to turn on the party until after they'd obtained the orb.

[Which would make more sense if she wanted to take the orb for herself.]

[heroooic]

[Finn nods, this version of events lining up much more cleanly with his worldview. Jun had told him the truth and that meant whatever other pieces they needed to slot into the story couldn't contradict from his version of events.]

That's what I think. If someone's down to betray one set of allies, why wouldn't she betray her other ones? Maybe she waited to kill her dragonborn friend later so nobody could say for sure that she had it. Keep the heat off, y'heard?

[bindsthedead]

True. But that doesn't mean she has the orb. It's possible that the dragonborn hid it somewhere in the caverns.

[heroooic]

That's true. [Finn rubs his chin.] Jun says he took off in a hurry, but maybe he tossed it somewhere for later. Makes ya wonder why someone killed them though, if they didn't have anything good on 'em.