January Tier 2 Quest ✨ CLOSED

[soothsighs]

Who: Urianger and Thancred
When: Early January
Where: Nocwich
What: Dealing with contaminated remains post-island
Warnings: Death, dead bodies, grieving

Selfishly, Urianger wishes there were somewhere else that this work could be done. Nocwich has thus far been something of a safe haven away from his troubles: he looks forward to his monthly visits as a break from the politcs and intrigue of Thorne, and considers it somehow ... separate, he supposes, from his day to day dealing. He knows that compartmentalising in such a way isn't necessarily helpful in the long term — and it seems that now, in the aftermath of their trip to the island, he's finally being made to face the consequences.

His expression is one of calm stoicism as he approaches the tents that keep the dead and their effects. It's comforting to know that Thancred is by his side; it makes the whole process more bearable in a way he hadn't quite anticipated, if he's truly honest, and for all he'd felt himself falling back on the kneejerk of doing it alone?

Urianger is glad to know that he's here with someone that he trusts.

The pair are guided through to the tents to where the wagons are being loaded up with carefully wrapped bodies. The stench is stomach-churning — Urianger has yet to grow used to it in such concentration — and he presses his lips into a thin line as he looks on as the contaminated bodies are stacked one on top of the other. A frow creases his brow:

"It is unfortunate that Luna has not the resources to transport them in smaller numbers. I fear grouping them like this may invite a more catastrophic result, should aught go awry."

But his voice is low; it's just an observational comment for Thancred, nothing more.

Comments

[funbreaker]

"I like to think I would have been a bit nicer about it than that," Thancred replies with a put-upon expression as Urianger nudges him. While he isn't above some tough love when the situation calls for it, he would like to think he's not quite so gruff and blunt as Geralt.

Still, it seems like for better or worse, Geralt's words were perhaps what Urianger needed to hear at the time. And it may have been easier to hear them from someone not quite so close to him as Thancred himself.

Their journey continues on until they hit a snag, and yet Thancred would frankly have been more shocked if it had all unfolded without incident. When they reach the blockage some thought is put to how long it might take to clear the path, but it quickly becomes apparent that it would add precious time to their journey, meaning that they would have little chance of staying ahead of nightfall.

When another option is offered, one that Xander and Lucia share with them uncertainly, Thancred meets Urianger's gaze. A frozen lake is not to be underestimated, though it seems all of them understand the risk.

"We'll aim to cross as quickly as we can, then, without putting ourselves at greater risk." The longer the weight of the wagon sits on the ice, the more likely that it will buckle under them, and so they will need to be swift.

With that, the wagon turns down a less traversed path, the snow hardly cleared from the trail, but the horses and the wagon wheels push through until they reach the lake. At a first glance it's rather eye-catching, the sun sparkling off of the loch's surface, frozen solid. Yet Thancred can not fully appreciate its beauty when he knows how dangerous this path might become.

He turns to Urianger once more. "Are you ready for this?"