Doubting the Glomdoring

Faintly buzzing, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe asks you, "Wanted to speak?"

Gurashi tilts his head curiously at you.

Gurashi begins to follow you.

You say to Gurashi, "We'll go somewhere more private for this."

Gurashi blinks.

Gurashi stares at you blinking, obviously confused.

You portal to Jaybird.

Gurashi follows you ether.
Gurashi follows you east.

The door to the west slams shut.

A small, well-lit studio.
The walls here are lined with bookshelves, with several books and scrolls strewn across the wood floor in haphazard piles. This room is permeated with the smell of old books. Against one wall, blank and half-finished canvases lay, paint dried against the floor and wall. Resting here relatively unnoticed is a chest of dark wood. An intricate bookshelf, reminiscent of the reaching shadows of the night, looms ominously here. A rustic chair made of ravenwood burl and wrought iron sits here. Lying flat on the ground is a key-shaped sigil. Opened up in a perfect tripod, a basic wooden easel is here. A platinum eye sigil is here. A painting of The Painter, Painted is proudly exhibited on a nearby wall. A sigil in the shape of a small, rectangular monolith is on the ground. Completely motionless, a slender leothin intently surveys its surroundings. You may use the BOOKSHELF commands here.
You see a single exit leading west (closed door).

You have emoted: Esei ponders Gurashi briefly, then folds her arms. "Gurashi," she says softly, "Are you alright? I know that Lord Nocht's interactions have left you shaken."

Gurashi stares implacably at you.

Hesitantly, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says to you, "...am not shaken."."

Antennae drooping a bit, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says to you, "Was fine."

You have emoted: Esei sighs. "Gurashi," she says, reaching out and touching his shoulder. "I'm here if you need to talk, truly." Turning her head away, she steps over to a basic wooden easel. "I... recently spoke to the Phrase of Serenity, Lief."

Gurashi blinks.

Gurashi tilts his head the other way, antennae perking up. "...spoke to Lief?"

You nod your head at Gurashi.

Mandibles clicking, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe asks you, "What about? And - why?"

You say to Gurashi, "A great many things. Mainly... about our Gods. What we do and do not know."

Gurashi awkwardly folds his arms across his torso as he listens, mandibles clicking once.

Softly, you say, "The fragility of life."

Gurashi shifts in his spot, arms still folded as he waits for you to continue. Beside him, Bizirik looks up, then snorts in your general direction, tilting its head.

Quietly, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says, "Assume told about the eggs."

Quickly, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says, "Lief, told. About the eggs. Not..."

Gurashi thrusts his palm towards his forehead and hits it with a resounding *smack*!

You have emoted: Esei turns back to Gurashi, smiling. "No, I deduced that myself," she says. She ponders Gurashi. "I have been contacting her further, hoping to gain her trust." Esei falls silent all of a sudden. "If you're having doubts..."

Slowly, confused, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe asks you, "...doubts about what?"

Tilting her head, you say to Gurashi, "About the Glomdoring, of course. I... understand that you would."

Eyes widening, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe asks you, "...doubts .... about -Glomdoring-?"

You nod your head at Gurashi.

Quickly, and loudly, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe exclaims, "No!"

You have emoted: Esei raises a brow at Gurashi. "If... you're certain?"

Gurashi crosses his arms and then tears them apart, shaking his head aggressively. "No! Never doubts about forest!" He insists. "Am one-hundred percent certain! One-thousand!! Is -everything- to!"

Still speaking loud, and fast, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says, "Is all that ever had! The peoples, its culture, my -family--."

You have emoted: Esei reaches out, but stops herself. "I did not mean to insult you," she says earnestly. "I swear. You just... appear skittish lately."

Gurashi blinks, then bursts into nervous laughter. "S-skittish? No! Am macho bug - am not skittish!" He insists, seeming to grow increasingly agitated.

You have emoted: Esei tugs on one of her braids, pursing her lips. "It's alright to be skittish," she says to Gurashi. "It's... alright to not be okay sometimes."

You have emoted: Esei looks Gurashi right in the eyes. "Despite what our Patron may say, pain is not the only way to live."

Gurashi crosses his arms again, comfortingly rubbing his arms as if to warm up. "...Then also know that said is -always watching-," He says in a low, almost hissing voice. "Glomdoring is forest of No Mercy. No mercy," He shakes his head once, "Is... sometimes hard to tell whether patience and mercy are same. If are different..." His gaze trails down to Bizirik, who now stares up at him with its blank, glowing eyes.

With a tired smile, you say to Gurashi, "It depends on what you consider patience and mercy."

You ponder the situation.

You say to Gurashi, "We may have no mercy, but we have honor, do we not?"

Staring at Bizirik, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says, "Do not know what is difference ..."

You say, "I think... mercy is to forgive someone. To give them a chance... or to take a life so that they do not suffer. To quicken their end."

You ponder the situation.

Gurashi continues to stare at Bizirik before taking the leothin's slender face in his hands, petting it twice along the jaw.

You say, "Patience, however? The willingness to wait. The ability to endure suffering."

You have emoted: Esei looks off into the distance, brown eyes sad.

Gurashi stares blankly at you.

You have emoted: Esei shrugs embarrassingly.

Gurashi stays quiet for a long while, dropping his hands from Bizirik's face. "...think... is sacrifice that has to be make... to be... here."

You have emoted: Esei looks at Gurashi quietly, sighing softly. "I suppose so."

You ponder the situation.

Gently, you ask, "Would you like to return to the Forest now?"

Bizirik, the leothin chitters softly, trailing up next to Gurashi and butting its head against his side, standing very still.

"Think..." Gurashi continues, looking down. "...Nothing ... Matters but Glomdoring. So... cannot leave room... for things like doubt..." Slowly he looks up, wringing his hands together. "So ... have to sacrifice things, like, patience.... mercy."

Taking a step towards the door, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says, "...is just way that has to be."

You have emoted: Esei looks towards Gurashi, a thoughtful look on her face.

You say to Gurashi, "Good luck, my friend."

Weakly, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says to you, "...right. Many apologies."

Gurashi nods his head emphatically.8:03:26 You bow respectfully to Gurashi.

Twiddling his thumbs, Exemplar of the Tah'vrai, Gurashi An'Ryshe says to you, "Did not mean to raise voice."

You say to Gurashi, "It's alright, you're right anyway. Nothing matters but Glomdoring."