Xene
Xene (a.k.a. the Stranger)
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I'm Xene, son of Eurenis and Balastos, brother of Kallerine, best friend of Sebysius, grandson of the Auxesilea, Odyssastos, Acasedon, Megaea...
Centaur ranger, with a huge bow, leaving his forests to find some answers
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Dagger of Warning
https://kanka.io/en/campaign/1/items/2437
The Boar Hunt
Hunting is different when you hunt a person. Someone was following us in Delphi, someone with a shield image on their chest, so Roynerin and I decided to set a trap. This person was supposed to know the answers, explain what this whole cult is about, what is wrong with Pythia's prophesies, and, most importantly, where to find the cave with Roynerin's husband. I knew he'd been tortured, and that thought filled me with sorrow and rage.
I never told my companions, but this guy was the first sentient being I've ever set a trap for. We used to enter each other's traps all the time, being chunky clumsy foals, but that was not intentional.
He was in pain. When the trap caught him by the leg and turned upside-down, and he looked hilarious with his face covered by the cape, he was suffering, and I didn't help him. It was just getting worse from there -- he knew very little of what we asked, he had a family to feed, and though he wanted to help -- mostly he was terrified.
We got some useful information, though, about the event where the cult has to be present to plan their evil doings. The Games. He promised to keep in touch and walked away on his broken leg. I should try to pick up some medicine skills from Eriklien. He was not there for it, and I feel his absence. He probably would have been against the whole trap idea. Zephyra surely was.
That guy recognized her, and that may cause trouble.
I feel helpless.
We had a moderately awkward dinner with Zephyra's family, though her brother seems friendly. I like my time with humans, even on the days like this, when everything seems like a failure. They have sophisticated houses, with many hallways and rooms, different kinds of home decorations, and complex eating rules. The females are very slim, and the males differ in size and beauty. It is still hard for me to determine their age, and I was told it is rude to ask, though it fills me with great curiosity.
The next thing we did was sneaking out of the house (which is not my strong side, to be honest) in the middle of the night. We planned to go hunting a boar and to find him we had to meet Zephyra's friend first. She is very trusting towards all species, which is obvious retrospectively (look at the friend group she brought home). This ... person was not to my liking. They were weird, low-key creepy, and they asked for a heart of the boar as a treat. I was glad they turned down the invitation to join us on the hunt. I feel like I'm not being good enough to ugly people, which is something to think about. Am I being lookist? I thought better of myself, but it seems that I prefer to trust any pretty face, instead of being careful about whom I open to.
In the forests we met a new plant -- there were glowing berries, and I tried one, and it made me invisible. I have to admit my lookism spreads onto pretty plants too -- I never thought twice before tasting it. It was nice.
The latest marvel I met was the smallest dragon, which created illusions, and put me in a weird euphoric state of mind. I'm a bit embarrassed now, but to be honest it was fun. I enjoyed this encounter, and I hope I didn't offend the tiny creature. I hope to meet them again, the little angry butterfly they are.
We have a long way to go, but I feel optimistic about the hunt.
A good old track-and-kill. What could possibly go wrong?
Two Pythias
Wedding of Pirithous will repeat. This is not the line I ever thought I would start my travel journal with. Today I was lucky or damned enough to receive not one, but two prophecies from two Pythias. The first one was vague and ominous. It said: war between centaurs and humans, blood, and history repeating itself. The second one gave me the name of Pirithous and a hope to prevent the killing.
Is it wrong, that I am more exited about adventures with these new creatures that I met, than about a possibility to save my kind? I don't want a war, I just don't want this to be mine responsibility. I am not ready.
I want to hunt the boar with Zephyra, to save Roineryn's husband from a dark cave, to see the flying city of Eriklien... To feel the freedom and diversity of the real world, not to be dragged as a trigger of some ancient conflict repeating.
The Pythia herself was put in a political game of some kind, with two parts of a cult controlling her answers. She was supposed to be a messenger of her God, but instead she is probably punished for revealing too much information to Roineryn ( they kicked her out, and closed the doors to the temple).
But mostly I am ashamed. I am supposed to avoid people until I can make sure I know how to prevent the massacre. Instead, I socialize. I create connections. I feel attracted to them, and I let myself be attracted.
Roineryn is right, and if I were a true warrior, I would chain myself to the wall of the deepest hole in the mountains. But I am not. And, as it was said, my emotions will be the end of me.
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