#orc warlock sigma v

[bushelofmuses]

“I could’ve sworn I heard someone talking in here.” - Warlock Sig @ Angie Orctober continues.

@bluesunsdusk

//ayyy but that's good shit

The ruins were already unsettling, and something had to have happened here long before their time, but Angela didn’t recall anything in her studies back home about there even being a place such as this, not here at least. And, well, hearing someone else's voice here that was not their own only served to make the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.

Her wings closed in tight against her back, and she cocked her head slightly, trying to figure out if it'd been an echo or if it did originate here. She trusted his instincts, but he wasn't small enough to worry about what she’d see as a threat. Or maybe he did. Between the two of them, he was closer to a predator in size and strength versus Angela having more of a prey instinct when it came to threats. Either way, Angela was on high alert for even the tiniest thing that was off.  

Tightening her grip on her staff with one hand, and the other hovering over a dagger she kept near her hip, Angela took a hesitant step further into the room.

Three walls in clear sight, a mostly open room in front, escape the way she came from behind her and to the left by a few feet, a second and third passage, one on each side to her right and left. And then there were columns that ran parallel to the side walls that lead to a half crumbled stone dais. Okay, one guaranteed escape route, and two potential ones she shouldn’t take unless the one behind her was blocked.

More whispers, several. Other explorers? She didn't know what language it was in.

She really hoped this little side adventure of theirs would be worth it.

Angela glanced up at her warlock companion, silently asking if they should continue or go back.

[bluesunsdusk]

Aight, here you go. I wanted to sketch warlock Sigma with his half-troll traits while trying to figure out how much muscle he would have. 

He doesn’t actually grow out his hair and upper tusks like that in his tribe, seeing as everyone there is an orc. Were he raised in a troll civilization, he would just let everything grow out, even still his lower tusks. 

Anyway, he was brown before being healed with fel at crucial point in his life, where he almost died. He most certainly would have, were it not for Moira. Fel turns orcs green, and seeing as he is an orc, albeit a half-troll orc, he turned green, along with the other people she brought back.

Again, note that I have never played, read, or…. Okay, I watched that one Warcraft movie with Gul’dan where the humans looked like a direct to TV thing and the orcs looked absolutely amazing, but that’s all. 

[bushelofmuses]

bluesunsdusk​:

His ears twitched and eyes widened, though for but a second before returning to an almost complete neutral.

“So preoccupied with all the ways in which I could break them that I forgot to consider they could carry you…” He uttered a soft sigh and shook his head, eyes slightly closing. “Terrible first impression.”

And that sounded far less violent in his mind. Though, this did confirm the thought that her bones would be lighter, thus weaker. The moment he realized just how poorly the statement could be taken by anyone outside his tribe, his eyes flew open again. To any company close to him, he would note his embarrassment, but this was a perfect stranger. 

An apology never came, however. 

“I…”

He closed his mouth and relaxed his expression, then shook his head once more. She may have been no threat to him, but he was making it very clear that he could be one to her, albeit it not by his intent. He was simply far too honest regarding where his mind had been the moment his eyes met her form.

“I am used to being terrestrial, as you could imagine from my lack of wings,” he stated, to explain way his lapse in logic. “However…”

His gaze cast towards the tops of the tree, where no light broke through, casting the forest in a seeming night forged by thick branches and layers upon layers of leaves. What creatures lives up there, he couldn’t say, in all honesty. 

“With your frame, could you chance the fight against the trees?” He questioned, slowly raising one hand to gesture to the well-concealed treetops. “Unless you have magic that could cut your way through, it may be a rather perilous journey. I could observe your attempts, if you’d like.”

Angela's smile fell and she flitted back a foot or so, a little more cautious. It wasn't too surprising, she supposed, given rumors about orcs but...he'd lectured her on outside threats to orcs; assessing anyone that came near would be completely understandable, not barbaric or what have you.

However to hear it spoken aloud was a bit startling. Most kept such thoughts to themselves unless they were making a threat. He didn't attack her the moment he saw her, so she had hoped he'd be more reasonable, less violent, perhaps...

Then again, he did say something about a poor first impression. Speaking without thinking then? That eased her worries a touch, as everyone does it.

But these were her wings, her life, the way she could go home and enjoy freedom and defend and learn and be. To not have her wings would be to lose her ability to go home. One needed to fly up there, and besides, no wings would throw her into shame...any threat to them was severe.

She could try to...test the waters of his intentions, if any, or if it was mere instinctual strategy.

"Well, with the way you were looking at me a moment ago, I felt like a bug being studied before it’s to be dissected," she said lightly, and then gestured to all of him with her free hand, the other still loosely holding her staff. "I’m probably not much bigger than one to you either."

She wouldn't take offense if he didn't act on the observation, and he wouldn't act if she didn't do anything foolish. Although, perhaps for a show of her...sort of lack of offense...information trading, a cultural exchange, might be beneficial? And maybe ensure there's some...continued semblance of civility or trust. Oooor it’d get her or someone else killed down the road.

To lessen any potential aggressive body language, she lowered herself a foot in the air, but didn’t move further away from him. She didn’t want to break her neck trying to see him if she was standing on the ground. It would also make it harder for her to dodge out of the way if she did step on his toes, figuratively, of course.

"...you gave me a brief description of relations between orcs and humans, perhaps I can...offer...knowledge in turn?"

“Our bones are...a little more fragile than our cousins, but they're not glass. It ensures that we have speed on our side and it makes it easy to get away as well as outmaneuver an opponent. Our warriors see it as dishonorable to flee a fight, but the scholars value diplomacy more than a blade and we'd rather bow out to study our mistakes and try again. Avoiding conflict is preferable to us for...a lot of reasons.” At least historically, they had a good reason to not want to fight if they could avoid it. Their numbers were scarcer then. "Our population suffers enough, we can't afford to lose too many people, and the warrior sect can't argue it."

She stopped. He likely didn't want an earful, very likely wouldn't care as he was a total stranger. Besides, it was enough information to make it fair, maybe.

Angela finally dropped to the ground and glanced around at the forest, then him. "I'm perfectly capable of climbing trees, sir. And if need be, I can just politely ask them to let me up and out. However, I would like to ask for your assistance by circling the main area on my map to avoid, along with any nearby settlements that I should skirt around for this or that reason. It’d be a small update to it, but a valuable one nonetheless. Then I’ll be out of your hair.”

“Well, maybe.” She grinned. “Since you insist on watching me fly off."

The expression fell into something a little more reserved and she held a hand out, "And I didn’t get your name, sir. That was rude of me and I apologize. I’m Angela."

A pause and then, "My parents had a terrible sense of humor and inflicted it upon me."

There was an underlying threat of: please don't make any jokes. I get enough of them and I will scream if one more person does it.