Esvel: Been feeling kinda off lately… eugh. Gotta snap out of this. Totally ruining the mood right now.
Virian: Esvel? Are you alright?
Esvel: Oh! Viri. Hey. Hi. Yeah, I’m great! Just, um… enjoying a moment of solitude. Because I, y’know… love being alone. So much.
Virian: Ah… of course. I’ll see myself out, then, so you can—
Esvel: No! Don’t. Don’t go.
Virian: …?
Esvel: I, um… just remembered. It’s Deadwinter Day! We used to have this festival back at the temple, where we’d bury blades under fresh flowers conjured by hired druids… Wanna put a little something together?
Virian: Well, as you know, my magic doesn’t work here… but I’ll do anything I can to help, regardless.
*Midwinter, or Deadwinter Day, is one of the five seasonal holidays celebrated across Faerûn. It marks the midpoint of Winter on the Caldendar of Harptos.
Leadership is one of the skills that I’ve cultivated over the centuries.
Q7: Do you believe that suffering is inevitable?
For some people, yes.
Q8: What does “being alive” mean to you?
To be able to make a positive impact on others.
Q9: How important is it to be in control?
Rather.
Q10: How’s your health?
I fall ill more easily than I’d like, but this castle is clean and isolated, so it isn’t a concern here. Aside from that, I’ve got slightly subpar physical strength and experience the occasional dizzy spell—I’ve learned to manage it over the years, though.
Q1: Do you think you fit in with other members of your species?
For the most part, yes. But I don’t particularly identify with many elves’... hands-off approach to matters.
Q2: Do you value fairness or achieving your goals more?
My goals are to ensure fairness for everyone who comes after me, among other things.
Q3: How long do you want to live?
I’d like to live long enough to protect the people who matter to me.
Q4: How have you been occupying your time here?
Getting to know the others, mostly. Some of the younger ones will come to me for advice, and it’s… refreshing to have someone older than me to talk to as well.
Q5: What would you do if you could be released right now?
Go back to my grove, if possible. I worry that they may not be faring so well in my absence.
Obligation - (Prisoner 010) Virian First Trial Voice Drama
Read under the cut! No TWs apply.
A door swings open and then shut again.
Virian:
Warden! Verus, is it? Welcome.
Verus:
Welcome… to my own interrogation room?
Virian:
Yes. Or perhaps it should be “welcome back”? Since you’ve been in here before.
Verus:
I don’t think that’s right, either. I don’t need to be welcomed into my own room at all.
Virian:
My apologies. It’s been a while since I interacted with anyone out… here.
A chair scrapes on the floor.
Verus:
No matter. Let’s begin the interrogation.
Virian:
Of course. I hadn’t meant to derail things, Verus. I apologize if I have.
Verus:
You haven’t. Other prisoners have done worse.
Virian:
…like thrown chairs and kicked shins?
Verus:
You heard about 003.
Virian:
Word travels fast in the confines of a castle, doubly so when it’s inhabited by only ten people with little else to do. I remember a time when things at my own home worked similarly.
Verus:
Very well. Now, state your name, age, and occupation.
Virian:
Virian Kiirrum. I'm 263 years old, if I’ve been counting correctly. It wasn’t a conventional occupation, but I led a small settlement deep in the woods—a druid grove, technically, although people of all sorts took residence there.
Verus:
Impressive. For how long did you hold that position?
Virian:
Over a century. I was nearly midway through my second when everything… happened.
Verus:
Everything?
Virian:
There was some trouble in the grove—well, not within, but rather outside. Things were becoming dangerous for my people.
Verus:
“Your” people?
Virian:
The people under my protection, yes.
Verus:
That made them “yours”?
Virian:
I may have phrased things imprecisely. I don’t call them mine because I own them, but rather because they are my responsibility.
Verus:
Your… responsibility?
Virian:
As a party is to its leader, no?
Verus:
I suppose. I don’t exactly have a strong frame of reference for what you’re describing.
Virian:
I take it you’re less experienced, then? In this profession, I mean.
Verus:
I suppose so. Experienced enough, though.
Virian:
I don’t doubt that for a moment. From what I can tell, you’re doing things splendidly.
Verus:
I’m not sure about “splendidly”. But I’m doing an adequate job.
Virian:
It must be difficult, at times.
Verus:
…I can manage it.
Virian:
Well, I’ll do whatever I can to help, if only just by cooperating in this interrogation. Is there anything else you’d like to ask of me?
Verus:
Yes. How are you adjusting to life here?
Virian:
A reasonable question. To answer it, I’m doing quite well, actually. Although I’ll admit that the lack of nature is a bit… disconcerting.
Verus:
This whole environment is a bit odd. Some of the others have mentioned it, too.
Virian:
Something about another plane of existence, perhaps?
Verus:
Yes. How did you come to that conclusion?
Virian:
Oh, I’m not half so intelligent as to figure it out myself. Samako said something about it once, when she came to ask me about whether my magic was affected in the same way that hers was.
Verus:
What did you tell her?
Virian:
That it was, naturally. Perhaps it’s the anti-magic field that she described, or perhaps it’s the lack of plants and animals. Whatever the reason, my powers are practically useless here.
Verus:
Are you… frustrated with this, to the same extent that 005 is?
Virian:
It’s a tad off-putting, knowing that an emergency could arise and I wouldn’t be able to rely on them. But it isn’t as if magic is the only thing I’m competent at.
Verus:
Ah.
Virian:
Yes. Is there anything else?
Verus:
How are you getting along with the other prisoners?
Virian:
Wonderfully. They’re all good-natured people, if a bit lacking in life experience.
Verus:
004 isn’t lacking. What do you think about him?
Virian:
It’s… heartening to have someone close in age to talk to. There’s just so much that none of the others could even begin to understand for the two of us to discuss.
Verus:
He’s cooperative. Easy to get along with.
Virian:
He is, isn’t he? Polite, too.
Verus:
Yes.
Virian:
I respect him, both as an adventurer and as a person.
Verus:
Is there anyone who you don’t like?
Virian:
Not at all. As I said, they’re all good people.
Verus:
…even 007?
Virian:
Aeana. Yes, I believe that she is. She’s just young. Misguided.
Verus:
Misguided?
Virian:
I believe that if I don’t give up on her, she’ll open up with time. But perhaps that’s my idealistic thinking to blame.
Verus:
Perhaps. But it isn’t an awful mindset to have.
Virian:
My—the people of the grove thought it a virtue.
Verus:
I take it you were a beloved leader, then?
Virian:
Ah… I certainly hope so. I did all that I could for them, after all.
Verus:
All that you could?
Virian:
To be completely frank with you, Verus, I made quite a few sacrifices.
Verus:
What… sorts of sacrifices?
Virian:
Well, my “killing”, for one. It certainly wasn’t an easy choice to make, nor a pleasant process to actually carry out.
Verus:
But would you take it back, if you could?
Virian:
Not in a thousand centuries, Verus. And I won’t apologize for it, either.
Verus:
So you don’t feel guilty, then.
Virian:
Perhaps I do, at least a bit. But not enough so to change my decision.
Verus:
Well… you’ve got principles that you stick to, at least.
Virian:
Yes.
Gears grind as the platform begins to lower.
Verus:
And we’re out of time.
Virian:
We are. You’ve done a wonderful job, Verus. I’m impressed.
Verus:
Excuse me?
Virian:
I hope you didn’t take offense. I meant that as a compliment.
Verus:
Yes, I’m sure you did. But I don’t need someone to tell me if I’m doing my job correctly, much less a prisoner.
Virian:
Apologies, then. And thank you for the chat, it was pleasant.
