Ravik's conversation with Thallium in Nayora

Present: Ravik, Thallium
Date: June 21, 437

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
Finding the door he is seeking Raviks gives it three hard knocks.
It does not take long to untangle the mess of corridors that the library can prove itself to be. Thallium's room looks much like his own on the outside. The Finder seems that much closer, after the last weeks' worth of adventures.

After a moment, Ravik hears the thudding of something heavy on the floor. Footsteps, judging by who is inside. The door creaks open with no care for checking who is outside.

"Ah. Finder Jumalin. Welcome to Nayora."

[Ravik]
"Thank you, Orientator. Apologies from the early visit." Ravik, in his state of mind after the dream, cant make himself seem too sorry about it.

"We have had many a talk on the road, so I thought it prudent to catch up in person. Also return the sending stone." he says, waiting politely at the door.

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"Very well. You may come in."

The Warforged turns around. He is wearing a simple cloak, likely some form of nighttime attire. This room is... Different than his. Instead of a bed, it holds a circular raised platform, like a space for meditation. Tools lie about on workbenches, and the smell of incense fills the air.

[Ravik]
Ravik follows the large warforged inside, looking around curiously. He pulls out the sending stone and hold it out the man.

"Thank you for the opportunity to ask you questions as we travelled. I hope you have gotten a report from Finder Klove or Overseer Akra?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"Indeed. I have gotten the opportunity to catch up on your latest endeavors."

He takes the Sending Stone, and sets it on one of the tables.

"Well done getting this far."

[Ravik]
"Thank you." Ravik says. "This case has taken some rather unexpected turns. I seem to remember you went to Thuis, is that right?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"That is correct. We handled a Kuo-Toa outbreak- we suspect they have been displaced by the Gnolls down south. This pattern of Kuo-Toa displacement becomes more troubling every day."

He keeps his back to Ravik, resting both hands on one of the workbenches. The warforged is not wearing any hood, revealing the intricate metallic components that cover the back of his head. They almost resemble a vertical closed maw, teeth of steel linking with each other to form a malleable neck.

He stares out the thin strip of glass that serves as a window for the room, silent.

"Times are changing, Finder. I am afraid of what may come."

[Ravik]
Ravik moves closer to stand next to Thallium. "I admit I am afraid too. It seems every time we round a corner we find things worse than they were before. Never better."

He lets the silence stretch a bit. "Did you happen to hear about an abduction in Thuis? Son of the owners of the Discount Emporium?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
Thallium doubles the silence and gives it to the next person.

"Yes. Why do you ask? Have you discovered something?"

[Ravik]
"Yes. We found him in the Howling Pit." Ravik says, without elaborating. Let the man lead that conversation if he wished. "Were his parents hurt in the abduction?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"That is fortunate. It had been long enough we failed to find any conclusive leads. The local guard is... Not very proficient, and rain washed away any prints we could have followed."

He runs a metal finger across the wood, following one of the many lines of its grain.

"No. It appears they just took the kid and left overnight."

[Ravik]
"I am curious. Did they have a suspicion about why someone would take him?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"No. They were utterly lost. Though the father blamed himself, thinking some vindictive customer had done it."

The Warforged looks at Ravik, finally, the frozen face as disconcerting as the first time.

"Do you know why he was taken?"

[Ravik]
"Yes. They wanted to use him in a ritual." he says, then conscious of dangling information in front of the man without following through he decides to shift gears.

"Remember when we first met in that tent in Lavon? I know you tried to reach out to my mind. Can you please tell me why you did that? Or what it was you were doing?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
The Warforged nods as Ravik mentions the ritual.

"I did. That... Was a moment of weakness. Fear. You must understand, by now, the danger Malachite brings if near Kuo-Toa. I acted before thinking. I felt the urge to know the entire situation immediately."

[Ravik]
"I understand that malachite could rouse that kind of urge." he thinks about his own reaction to the malachite. "Fear." he says, "it has informed a lot of your actions, hasn't it? I do understand now why you couldn't tell us everything, but I still don't understand why you didn't give us more information to prepare us."

His voice is neutral, and there really is no reproach in him, merely curiosity and a need to figure out if he can trust the man or not.

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"I... Want you to understand. I acted outside protocol. We acted outside protocol. Only the Overseer should have been able to inform you, send you on such a mission. My... Test will cost much, still."

He pauses.

"I risked much to arm you with the little I could. Your allies- one was a member of the Shadows. You barely knew her- would you have placed such forbidden knowledge near one you have just met?"

He seems... Honest. Truthful, as far as Ravik can tell.

[Ravik]
Ravik nods. He understands. The fear. The need to make it go away, to keep the villages safe. He folds his arms behind his back and look out at the window. "I know. I understand. With everything that has been going on, Kuo-toa, gnolls, the cult... I understand the mistrust of Trick and her origins. You could have trusted her. Sardior does. But, I understand why you didn't."

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
The Warforged shakes his head.

"I do not."

He follows Ravik's gaze towards the outside. People have begun their morning affairs, and even the Old City's streets have become less empty.

"My actions were ultimately irrational, but they led to the town being protected by me in the end. You could have been overwhelmed without my help. Was I wrong? I have come to believe so. But time has decided otherwise."

[Ravik]
Ravik turns and looks at the man, surprised that the surety and arrogance the warforged has consistently shown him in their few face to face interactions has fallen away.

"So, what will you do now?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
His metal hands stop, now tapping the wood a few times instead. He grabs a tool from a pile, slender and with a beveled tip like a chisel's.

"Find. Go out and be where my aid is needed. The south is suffering- I may just make my way there."

[Ravik]
Ravik reaches out a hand and almost puts it on the man's shoulder. "We hear things about Steel Gulf. BugSaw has gone south as well."

"One last question and then I will leave you to your morning. About the mind thing. Did you know where I find something to help me?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
"Ah. Good. We need as much aid as we can get."

He pauses, considering Ravik's request.

"The goblins of the GMEC are remarkable craftsmen. If they are not to your taste, I may also recommend a personal find from the Golden Market. Seek out the Sphinx's Trove. They may not have exactly what you seek, but a start is a start."

[Ravik]
"Thank you. I will look them up. Ask Frozz." he says.

He looks the man over again. Wondering if he was okay. Emotions hard to read off of metal features and monotone-like voice. "Is there anything more you want to know?"

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
Thallium does not smile. He cannot. So, instead, Ravik hears-

"Amusing."

He looks back at the small raised platform, finally stepping away from the table with his tool still in hand.

"No. I trust you now, Ravik Jumalin. The only thing I ask is that you continue to prove I made the right decision in doing so."

[Ravik]
"Of course." Ravik says, nodding to himself, recognizing the re-appearance of the man's arrogance.

"I will leave you to your repairs. Thank you for taking the time to speak to me." Ravik says, putting his hand on his heart in a cursory greeting. "I wish you safe travels."

and better decisions he thinks.

[Thallium, Ruby Disciple]
The Warforged sits at their platform, plunging into his inner wrist with the strange tool. A panel pops open.

"We need all the help we can get, Finder. And you seem to have a talent for attracting helpful people."

Pause.

"I thank you, for the opportunity to speak. May the Ruby light your way; May the Mountain forge your path, Kossuth guide you through it, and Kelemvor find you safely at the end."

[Ravik]
"Same to you, Thallium." Ravik says and moves to the door, feeling a little weird leaving the man alone, a bit bewildered by his demeanor. But he does walk out, sending the man a quiet nod as he closes the door behind him.

[Narrator]
The door clicks closed, and Ravik is left alone in the corridor with mixed feelings, and a new look into the man of steel.