Eskhind/Conversations

Default

Start

[ Eskhind ]

Hold there! Who are you? What do you want?

1) I am leaving.

[End]

Find Eskhind

Start

[ Eskhind ]

Hold there! Who are you? What do you want?

1) I am =name=. Hindriarch Keh sent me.
2) I am justice. Give back what you stole.
3) I am your worst nightmare. Prepare to die.	[Fight]
4) Nothing. Live and drink.	[End]

Hindriarch Keh sent me.

[ Eskhind ]

Keh? I'm shocked that she even deigned to speak my name. I am a pariah now, beneath discussion. Does she demand remuneration for the scant supplies I stole?

1) She says that you stole Kindrish, the village's treasure.

Give back what you stole.

[ Eskhind ]

What I stole? I stole supplies to sustain myself and my sisters, nothing more, and little enough that no one would suffer for its absence. You would cut those from my hide?

1) No. You stole the treasure called Kindrish.

You stole Kindrish.

[ Eskhind ]

*Eskhind bursts into forced, nervous laughter*

Is that her angle? To claim that I stole Kindrish? Her influence must be waning more than even I knew.

1) What are you saying?
2) You claim innocence?
3) A frame-up. I suspected this.

What are you saying?

[ Eskhind ]

What do you imagine I am saying? The aging, ineffectual leader of a village in isolation. A system that strives to forget anyone who sees the outside, no matter how much its inhabitants strive for a better tomorrow.

Bey Lah's isolationism provides ideal patsies for any crime the Hindriarch chooses to commit.

1) You think Keh stole the treasure?
2) Why should I believe you?
3) What do you expect me to do, then?

You claim innocence?

[ Eskhind ]

Yes. I am falsely accused.

See, Bey Lah strives to forget anyone who sees the outside. The gerontocracy ensures that its leaders will always be aging and fearful. Pariahs like me can be easily accused of crimes committed by Keh or her cronies.

1) You think Keh stole the treasure?
2) Why should I believe you?
3) Lies. You are trying to manipulate me.
4) What do you expect me to do, then?

I suspected this.

[ Eskhind ]

Well, good. I would give you a prize for your insight, but times have been lean.

As you say, the Hindriarch is obviously framing me. As a pariah, I am an ideal patsy for Keh. Much as I love my people, they are weak of will and do not question the Grand-Doe.

1) You really think Keh stole the treasure?
2) Why should I believe you?
3) Lies. You are trying to manipulate me.
4) What can be done, then?
5) You didn't need to be rude about it.

You think Keh stole the treasure?

[ Eskhind ]

Ay, you kendren are just as thick as the elders. I'd hoped otherwise.

Yes, I am suggesting that old Grand-Doe is trying to fool you, and the village as well. I'm not certain that she stole it herself, but an investigation might undermine her authority, and she cannot have that.

1) What should I do, then?
2) You don't need to be so rude.

Why should I believe you?

[ Eskhind ]

Why should you believe me? Well, why should you believe Keh? Ayvah, think about this!

I'm not asking you to give me your unconditional trust, understand? Only to extend to me the same level of trust you give Keh. Is that not reasonable? Is that not just?

1) What are you suggesting I do?

Lies.

[ Eskhind ]

Ayvah. I'd wanted Grand-Doe to be wrong about you kendren, but perhaps you are all violent fools after all.

I'm not asking you to trust me, only to extend to me the same level of trust you give Keh. Is that not reasonable?

1) What are you suggesting I do?
2) You don't need to be so rude.
3) You've wasted enough of my time. Prepare to die.	[Fight]

Eskhind is rude

[ Eskhind ]

Rude? How dare--

No, I... I apologize for my rudeness. Please understand that we have lost so much by leaving Bey Lah. My mind is not in a gentle place, and being revisited by the tyranny I left behind is causing newly-closed wounds to open.

Forgive my tone, but please understand: I did not steal Kindrish. You are being used.

1) What should I do?

What should I do?

[ Eskhind ]

The proof is in the petals, kendren. You want justice? Find out what really happened.

If you find evidence, Warden Neelahind will support you. Speak to her. She is loyal to Grand-Doe, but more loyal to the truth.

I will return to the village and we will sort this out. The Hindriarch will have to tolerate my presence until my name is cleared.

1) I'll look into this, but you'd better not go missing.	[Complete Quest Step: Find Eskhind] [End]
2) I will. Live and drink.	[Complete Quest Step: Find Eskhind] [End]

Start

[ Eskhind ]

Go tell Keh that I will remain in Bey Lah until this is sorted.

1) Very well. Live and drink.

[End]

Kith and Kin

Start

[ Eskhind ]

What is it, kendren?

1) I have questions for you.
2) Does this crumpled sheet of paper belong to you?
3) Nothing. Live and drink.	[End]

Questions

[ Eskhind ]

Ask away.

1) Does this crumpled sheet of paper belong to you?
2) Why did you leave Bey Lah?
3) Who might have stolen Kindrish?
4) What evidence should I be looking for?
5) You and the Warden were close, were you not?
6) The Hindriarch mentioned that you have a brother. Where is he?
7) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

Why

[ Eskhind ]

Why? Why did I leave a single parasang square piece of land upon which I was expected to live my entire life, forever obeying a woman whose sole qualification of rule is her gender and age? Why did I leave a place where we eat the same damned soup for nine out of ten meals and the height of occupational versatility is leatherworking?

The question isn't why I left, it's why I'm the only one who chose to do so, why none of my pleas were convincing to the hindren I love. If we would just open the borders, it would never have come to this.

1) Who might have stolen Kindrish?
2) What evidence should I be looking for?
3) You and the Warden were close, were you not?
4) The Hindriarch mentioned that you have a brother. Where is he?
5) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

Who

[ Eskhind ]

The Hindriarch is the most likely suspect, in my opinion. She might have kept it for herself or sold it. I've been suspicious of her pet bodyguard, Kesehind, for years--I wouldn't put it past him to steal the treasure himself.

That said, it might have been an outsider like you. I doubt any of the villagers had the nerve to steal such a valuable object, but I suppose it's faintly possible.

But it wasn't Neelahind. You won't find a purer heart in all of Qud than hers.

1) Why did you leave Bey Lah?
2) What evidence should I be looking for?
3) You and the Warden were close, were you not?
4) The Hindriarch mentioned that you have a brother. Where is he?
5) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

What

[ Eskhind ]

Objects out of place, certainly. Bey Lah produces little and sees almost no violence, so signs of the outside world should be easy to find.

You may wish to talk to the villagers, too. My people are starved for entertainment, gossip travels fast, and we are all notoriously poor liars.

1) Why did you leave Bey Lah?
2) Who might have stolen Kindrish?
3) You and the Warden were close, were you not?
4) The Hindriarch mentioned that you have a brother. Where is he?
5) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

Neelahind

[ Eskhind ]

Yes. We were close. More than close.

If it tore my heart to ragged halves to leave my people behind, leaving Neelahind shredded it into scraps.

1) Why did you leave Bey Lah?
2) Who might have stolen Kindrish?
3) What evidence should I be looking for?
4) The Hindriarch mentioned that you have a brother. Where is he?
5) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

Brother

[ Eskhind ]

I have no brother. My two sisters are all the blood family I can claim.

1) Keh seems to believe otherwise.
2) Why did you leave Bey Lah?
3) Who might have stolen Kindrish?
4) What evidence should I be looking for?
5) You and the Warden were close, were you not?
6) Nothing for now. Live and drink.	[End]

Keh believes

[ Eskhind ]

Keh believes that she gets final say regarding who is a sister or brother. Regardless of what the sibling in question thinks.

That's part of why I left.

1) May I ask further questions?
2) Understood. Live and drink.	[End]

Love and Fear

SonnetPrompt

[ Eskhind ]

Oh. Oh no. Yes, that's. That's mine.

I meant to burn it. I probably should have burned it. I wish I had burned it.

May I please have it back?

1) So you can burn it?
2) Hmm. No, I think not.

SonnetNo

[ Eskhind ]

You have me helpless. That poem is my clumsy expression of a deep truth that frightens me. It is a risk that I lacked the strength to take or leave.

My heart quails in your hands, kendren.

1) You wish you had burned such a vital truth?
2) It shall quail a bit longer. Live and drink.	[End]

SonnetBurn

[ Eskhind ]

No! Yes? I don't know.

Yes, I wish I burned it, but I wish I had given it. I wish I had never written it, or I had written it better, or I had simply confessed in person. I wish I had a harder heart.

I wish you would give it back, or burn it, or give it to her.

1) If I do give it back, what will you do with it?
2) I could give it to her.
3) This got a bit intense. Live and drink.	[End]

SonnetIntentions

[ Eskhind ]

I was trying not to think too hard about any of this until you found my poem, so... I can't say.

But I can't ignore this sign of my cowardice, not after you found it.

1) Take the poem. Be brave.	This gives Eskhind the crumpled sheet of paper. [Complete Quest Step: Return the Love Sonnet]
2) Shall I deliver the poem for you?
3) I will think further on this.	[End]

SonnetGiven

[ Eskhind ]

Kendren... =name=. I will try.

I... thank you. Live and drink.

1) Live and drink, Eskhind.

[End]

SonnetDelivery

[ Eskhind ]

Deliver it? But how do you even know who--

Mm. Never mind. My head is spinning. I think that if... the poem were to find itself in the warden's hands, that would perhaps be a good thing. Maybe.

1) Then perhaps it will. Live and drink.	[End]
2) No, Eskhind. Take the poem. Be brave.	This gives Eskhind the crumpled sheet of paper. [Complete Quest Step: Return the Love Sonnet]

After Kith and Kin

These dialogue options depend on several variables that happen in the ending:

• Who is Hindriarch
• Whether the outcome is fully resolved (the full 3 days after the accusation have passed)
• If the outcome is not fully resolved, whether the village will survive, be ravaged, or be doomed by illness
• If Love and Fear is complete

If she is hindriarch, a choice to give her Kindrish is available in every start dialogue.

1) Hindriarch, I have found Kindrish.

To save space. this choice is omitted.

Hindriarch Esk, Love and Fear complete

[ Eskhind ]

Hah! Real justice? I never thought I'd see the like, not here. Well done!

I'll admit, I would have preferred to avoid becoming Hindriarch, but I'm hoping to bring my people to a more Democratic form of governance. Then I can vote myself out.

1) Live and drink, Hindriarch.

[End]

Hindriarch Esk, Love and Fear complete, fully resolved

[ Eskhind ]

If it isn't the hero kendren, =name=.

Welcome back to Bey Lah! Stay as long as you like.

1) How is life as Hindriarch?
2) You're welcome. Live and drink.	[End]

Hindriarch Esk, Love and Fear incomplete

[ Eskhind ]

You have my gratitude for this exoneration, kendren. This worked out better than I expected thanks to you.

I'll admit, I would have preferred to avoid becoming Hindriarch, but I'm hoping to bring my people to a more Democratic form of governance. Then I can vote myself out.

1) Live and drink.

[End]

Hindriarch Esk, Love and Fear incomplete, fully resolved

[ Eskhind ]

Welcome back to Bey Lah, =name=. Stay as long as you like.

1) How is life as Hindriarch?
2) Live and drink, Hindriarch.	[End]

Hindriarch Keh, Love and Fear complete

[ Eskhind ]

Kendren, thank you.

Things may seem grim, but I have a new strength with Neela by my side.

1) Live and drink.

[End]

Hindriarch Keh, Love and Fear complete, fully resolved

[ Eskhind ]

Kendren! I am glad to see you.

Thank you again for bringing Neela around, and please forgive her reservation. She mourns the people she thought she knew, but our future will be brighter together.

1) Of course. Live and drink.

[End]

Hindriarch Keh, Love and Fear incomplete

[ Eskhind ]

Don't you have someone else to bother?

Live and drink piss.

1) Rude.

[End]

Hindriarch Keh, Love and Fear incomplete, fully resolved

[ Eskhind ]

Oh, it's you. Need to rest by the fire?

It's fine, my wrath has clarified. You were never the problem. Live and drink.

1) Live and drink.

[End]

EskHindriarch

[ Eskhind ]

Extremely frustrating! But I am yet hopeful.

My people are resistant to change, but they don't seem opposed to the idea of a Democracy. I need to give them a measure of time before we hold an election, but they'll ultimately agree as long as I am acting Hindriarch.

Then, fates willing, they will vote me out. I'll be voting for Isahind, myself. Once I convince her to run.

1) May fortune favor you. Live and drink.

[End]

Village ravaged

[ Eskhind ]

I couldn't save them.

I tried. I tried to save them.

1) Condolences. Live and drink.

[End]

Village doomed

[ Eskhind ]

I'm uneasy.

1) Fine. Live and drink.

[End]

KindrishReturnAfter

(The node in 2.201.66 is erroneously titled KindrishReturn. The title was renamed to make the dialogue functional.)

[ Eskhind ]

Oh, so you have! Amazing work, kendren. We owe you more than we can give, but here is what we can give nonetheless.

You are more than welcome here in Bey Lah any time.

1) Live and drink, Hindriarch.

Eskhind then takes Kindrish and gives you +400 Hindren of Bey Lah reputation and a force bracelet. [End]

Start

[ Eskhind ]

=name=.

1) Eskhind.

[End]