Haurchefant had detailed Florian on what the intentions with the Dusk Vigil were, and truly he ought not to be feeling as conflicted as he was about giving such information. As he looks up, honeyed eyes scanning unknown company, the knight reminded himself of whom had asked him to aid. If it was not for Haurchefant asking, then he likely wouldn't have spoken at all, wouldn't have agreed to meet.
ā§ļ½„ļ¾: * " It's a tomb." Florian's near lifeless gaze moves from company and instead to those that lingered outdoors in the light snow - the breeze thankfully absent for the moment. His every move appears almost haunted, the way he holds himself as if the very world sits upon his shoulders - it's rather clear that it isn't a subject he wants to talk about but necessity prevails. " That roundel you seek... send the Lord Yuhelmeric mad - there was some family history with it, apparently."
Florian had to force himself to draw a deeper breath, though slow, to steady his nerves as all manner of vicious memory came flooding back to his consciousness. It haunted his dreams enough as it was, he didn't want to see it while quite awake, either-
ā§ļ½„ļ¾: * " Yuhelmeric refused to withdraw us from the Vigil after the Calamity struck. We were snowed in within only a few days - - supply drops stopped, famine spread, men started getting sick - - cold. We couldn't repair any of the outer defences so we were forced deeper into the fortress." He's paraphrasing, cutting out much of the intricate details in part because they don't matter now, but also because he cannot bare to remember.
ā§ļ½„ļ¾: * " There was a mutiny - or the start of one. Yuhelmeric saw to end it quickly by slaughtering those that stood against his word. He was convinced that Halone bid him stay there - - fixated on that gemstone. He ordered that the slaughtered be eaten, to sustain." Imagine, being told to eat your comrades to keep yourself going in that damned hell - - Florian felt sick just thinking about it." Some did, out of sheer desperation."
ā§ļ½„ļ¾: * " Myself and four others found an escape route - - injured, sick, cold, starved. Two of us made it to Falcons Nest. Everyone at the Vigil either froze to death, got killed or was eaten... and many have risen as ashkin to wander the halls indefinitely." And many wondered if that gemstone was cursed, had sent Yuhelmeric over the edge. Either way, it's clear that Florian doesn't agree with it being discovered - - thinks it should lay there forgotten and those halls undisturbed.
But alas... he is but only a knight. He has no say in such things.
ā§ļ½„ļ¾: * " Even ignoring the fact the halls will be swarming with the damned, the fortifications are weak - the fortress itself was crumbling from the ice and snow even then, I imagine it's entirely unsafe now."
