037

--TheirWorld--

The six glass eyes of the great green beast watched her, sparkling in flame-light, as she drew closer to where the Master Hunter stood. Lithe, herself, made no notice of the company, taking steady sips from a wine glass as she stared into the fire.

“Master Hunter,” Guin started softly.

The tivarys woman turned a bit too quickly, with her eyes a bit too sharp — but her expression softened as recognition set in. “You have returned. Welcome,” she said. “Have you done as I have asked?”

“Yes, Master Hunter,” Guin nodded, and pulled out the promised pelts. Gingerly, Lithe took them from her hand and began to inspect them.

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A title? It was an unexpected, if predictable, boon. Any and all reputation would be helpful to her as time went forward, and it was possible that she may be able to get more information about the corruption from the hunters if she grew her reputation with them. As for her [Skinning] skill, Guin saw she was already a good ways into the Intermediate rank of skinning, and closed the window again as Lithe handed her the pelts back.

“Excellent,” the Master Hunter said. “You’ve used what Gorseth taught you well. As a player of intermediate skill, you will now have the ability to instantly skin your prey, so long as you have the proper equipment in your inventory. Bare in mind, however, that skins that are acquired using the instant skinning ability will always be of lesser quality. Also, as you have gone through [Skinning] training through our Hunters’ Guild, you have earned the right to call yourselves as one of our own. Henceforth, you shall have full access to our resources, including quests, vendors, and trainers otherwise unavailable to the common public for as long as you maintain your reputation. Do not abuse our trust, young hunter.”

Giving her an energetic bow, Guin said, “Thank you, Master Hunter!”

Lithe simply smiled at her and turned back to gazing at the beast and sipping her wine.

With the [Skinning] skill out of the way, all that Guin needed to do was nail out the [Leatherworking] skill. Then she could head back to Amikavi for her class. And then, then she could head back out to fight the corruption.

Guin clenched her fists, remembering what she had gone through in White Fox Forest, and going to ask after what Gorseth had mentioned earlier, she started “By the way—,” but stopped, drawn in instead by the look on the Master Hunter’s face.

It was a deep, wistful… hate.

There was peace to be found in those eyes, yet, it was as if, if she could slay the beast a thousand more times, then she would. It was a frightening, possessive thing.

“What… is that?” Guin found herself asking instead. “That beast.”

Lithe’s eyes flickered over to her only for a moment. “A Gorak,” she replied. “Are there any further questions?”

“A great beast of the forest?”

“The Gorak?” Lithe asked, then shrugged. “So they tell me. “We have no such monsters where I am from. A powerful beast. Violent. Angry. But honorable,” the Master Hunter had a sharpness to both voice and eye that Guin wasn’t sure she liked. “But the city people seem to have forgotten that — if they ever knew it. That, or their prejudice towards outsiders — for good or for ill — blinds them.”

“I’ve spoken to Gorseth and the other hunters about the corruption in the woods,” Guin told her softly.

The Master Hunter grunted. “You know of it then? I suppose it’s hard not to, if you walk through the forest with your eyes open,” she scoffed and finished off her wine in a big gulp. “Yes,” she continued. “The forest is corrupted. The Dead Woods have spread — spread so much further than any before, our records would have us believe. The Circle has been going on about bad omens and what-not, whilst the nobles seek my head for cursing the land by slaying this beast.”

“But you think otherwise?”

“Think?” Lithe smirked. “I know otherwise,” she said. “This beast was slain miles from where the Dead Wood now is. For them to come here, banging on my door with their nonsense about how I’ve cursed them all — it’s baseless, but for them, it’s easy. Truth means nothing in the face of creating a satisfying answer to those who seek it. Not only that,” she grumbled. “I’d like for them to prove that it anything to me rather than that stupid man-child that keeps bringing back trophies without taking proper care of the honor and dignity of the creatures that he slays.”

Guin tilted her head. “‘Man-Child’?”

“Octarius,” the Master Hunter said with great distaste. “Though, I guess these days it’s ‘Imperial Crown Prince Octarius’ now, to anyone who hasn’t yet abandoned their propriety,” Lithe told her. Guin furrowed her brow. Octarius? Why did that name sound so familiar to her? “He always was a right little prick,” the tivarys woman sneered. “A brutal, dishonest, trophy hunter who’s been out to compensate for something since he was at his mother’s teat…”

Smirking a bit, Guin pried, “Know him, do you?”

“Grew up with the bastard,” Lithe mumbled. “Back in the Imperial City. I come from a noble bloodline — A royal one, if you go back far enough, as my father used to go on about. But we served the King and the Princes all the same. Befriended them. Octarious and my younger brother were right and proper friends till he got him killed on some nonsense adventure to capture of the Treasure Clan’s beasts. Reckless fools…”

“So you believe that the Crown Prince has something to do with it then?” Guin asked. “Was he here?”

Lithe waved as she began to pace. “About a fortnight ago he and his parade of gifts. Nor is it the first time he’s come through. Every six months or so, he comes with gold, fine pelts, and tales of conquest. None of it is of any value worth the price he paid; even his crown of dragon horns. Of course, I say that,” she gave a sarcastic laugh, cheerfully adding, “But I guess it did make him Crown Prince.”

“If the Prince is taking treasures, then I would think that there was a high probability that the corruption might have something to do with some-such token,” Guin noted. “Do you know where he went? Is he still here?”

But the Master Hunter shook her head. “I know not — but I doubt that he is still here.”

“The trophies?”

“Some he keeps, some he sends back to the capital, and some he gives as ‘gifts’ o the people whose land he desecrates. A few years ago, he brought back a pelt from White Fox Forest; A beautiful thing. The spirit inhabited it, and nearly cursed this land before The Circle Purified it and told the city to bury it proper. Luckily, this is Miala De Ri, and the holy men do right by each other — but who knows how many cities have been cursed as a result of his foley.”

Guin paused as her quest updated to reflect the new details of the corruption quest.

UPDATE: Hunter Gorseth has told you to speak to his daughter, Margot about what she knows and introduce you to the circle. He has also told you to speak to Master Hunter Lithe herself.

UPDATE: Master Hunter Lithe has told you of Crown Prince Adrian from the Imperial City and his penchant for slaying great beasts and taking trophies.

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“A pelt from White Fox Forest…” she muttered, touching the white fur of her new cloak lightly.

“Yes,” Lithe said, eyes narrowing. “One very much like the one you wear now.”

If that was so, then it was very possible that Amikavi herself might be able to help her. Guin paused. Octarius? “Crown of dragon horns…,” she mumbled. “Tethaigo’s horns?”

Her memory raced, the image of the dais on which Amikavi’s pelt was placed upon coming to her mind as she began to chew on her fingers. She remembered that Amikavi had said that the figure on the dais and his people had been cursed — was that not the case? Was this Octarius that Lithe spoke of the same man?

“Hunter Guin?” Lithe said, drawing her back.

“I understand,” Guin nodded quickly. “I understand… Thank you, Master Hunter. I shall take my leave.”

The Master Hunter nodded. “Be careful out there, Hunter. May you do the name of Miala De Ri proud.”

Hoping the quest that she had gained was shareable, she stared at the information that the quest description gave, and pulled out an notepad to remind her of what it didn’t. There was a lot she had to do — but first, she needed to focus on getting her class. She waved farewell to Gorseth and the other hunters, then headed out in the direction of the Leather Worker Hoth.