video | backdated to end of December

[wolvering]

[Pod starts the video, and is obviously in a library, with her white hair piled carelessly into a sloppily braided-bun to keep out of her eyes, and a book with a howling wolf's head etched into the cover in her arms. It's a big tome, and she looks awkward holding it.

Her wolverine is present, though only by the sound of his snores as he naps in a chair nearby.]

Well met, all. I am still getting used to these, so I'm not sure how best to start...

An introduction will do! I'm Pod of Gray Holt, recently come to this world and court by way of one of the Healwort Guild's chapter-houses in Kelneth. I don't suppose to be fortunate enough to reach the ears of anyone who's heard of any of those, and that is beside the point of this.

[She straightens, losing some of the awkwardness.]

I need to learn more about werewolves. I know there are some, native to this place, and others come here from other... worlds. That still is so strange to say. Anyway, I've found some things written in the books, but I've never heard of werewolves before coming here, so don't know how to tell fact from over-embellished tales.

I was hoping someone, or someones!, here could guide me in the right direction. I especially need to know the proper conduct when trying to talk to a leader about important matters. I don't believe I've the exact right wording of it, though.

((ooc: This is relating to Pod's quest, the log for which should be going up no later than the seventh, and will be linked here when it is. Just wanted to get this part done up so I wasn't juggling a log and an open locket post all in one night. If there are any characters who would like to ICly accompany and/or assist/interfere with Pod's little diplomatic mission and want to be personally notified about the log I can do that!))

Comments

[wolvering]

Because the wolves of the forest asked me for my help and I swore I would help them by speaking with this werewolf on their behalf.

[Pod smiles, a little mischief in her eyes.]

And why should it not be right to change between if one is both?

[bullhorned]

So there's half-wolves and you talk to the full-wolves about them? Is this some game you're on about?

[Because the Starks are weirdly close with their wolves, but they aren't taking orders from them.]

[wolvering]

It wasn't talking, so much, not on their part. There was some magic involved, but instead of words, more images and smells, to tell me what they needed my help with. They are frightened, some so much that they flee their territories. If I can help them regain them, what less could I do but what they ask of me?

It is no game. Lives, now and in the future, may be saved or bettered by what I've decided to do.

[Pod is actually very serious about this; it's important.]

[bullhorned]

Whose lives? Wolf lives or people lives?

[Because... it mostly sounds like nonsense to him.]

[wolvering]

Does it really make a difference? And who can see the connections but the gods themselves? Saving a wolf could change something that would save a human life later.

[bullhorned]

Mayhaps. Or it could get a human eaten later.

[wolvering]

[Pod looks a little affronted.]

Do you even know anything of wolves? They wouldn't eat a human, and few would go so near human lands, unless they were starving and too badly injured to hunt on their own.

[She crosses her arms.] What stories have you heard to think a thing like that?

[bullhorned]

No stories. I've lived a year in the wild in the Riverlands. There were wolves there, hundreds even, and it made no matter to them who they ate. You think I don't know what it looks like after a child's been ripped apart by wolves? I've seen their work and it weren't no dogs what done it.

[But then, not all wolf packs were led by an angry direwolf.]

[wolvering]

[That does not match up at all with what Pod knows about wolves. Again, she wishes for Jeord, who shares a much closer bond with them than she. She does falter a little and her expression goes sad at hearing about that child, but on thinking, is fairly certain she has an answer.]

That sounds not at all like wild wolves. Wild wolves hunt to eat and not to rend and tear and frighten. Are you certain they were truly wild, and not at the beck and call of someone who would use them as weapons to harm humans?

[bullhorned]

Of course they were wild. The only folk I know that can control wolves are Starks and they wouldn't turn them loose like that.

[wolvering]

Then something was very, very wrong with those wolves. Perhaps even a curse or some other evil. I've seen men driven mad, those who would be devoting themselves to aiding others with their craft turned to murder and blood-drinking. A wolf too could be caught by such an evil.

[Pod just can't believe there wasn't some kind of outside force creating such a terrible event.]

[bullhorned]

Men don't need to be driven mad to do terrible things. They just do it. Why shouldn't a wolf be the same?

[wolvering]

Because those beasts that have dark hearts as some men do are very blessedly rare. Almost unheard of, in fact. It seems more likely to me that something or someone put darkness there, than that there was darkness borne there on its own.

[She actually has reasons for believing this way, among them how every terrible thing in her life had a human source, and all but everything good, an animal source (Or was a Beast Healer, or part beast), but isn't likely to say that out loud just yet.]

[bullhorned]

[He snorts.]

Might be you've grown up with too many children's tales. What's all this about darkness? There's no magic to it. Beasts are beasts and you'll live longer if you don't mix yourself up in their business.

[wolvering]

[Archly.] I am a Beast Healer. Mixing up in their business, as you say, is my business.

It's not tales that have taught me, but the beasts themselves, and my fellow Beast Healers.

[bullhorned]

A beast healer, is it? You'd do better healing horses and cattle. There's better coin in it.

[wolvering]

We do that too, often enough, but our charges are all beasts, and we must go where they are.

And less coin than you might think, but we fare better with food and cloth and other things like that.

[bullhorned]

And how is it you learned all this? You someone's apprentice?

[wolvering]

Yes. I am, was, an apprentice in the Beast Healer Guild chapter-house at Gray Holt. Still an apprentice, but no longer there, at least for the time being.

[bullhorned]

[He's never even heard of a Beast Healer Guild... but she's obviously not from his world.]

You'd do better to find yourself a new master, then. [Rather than going off playing with wolves.]

[wolvering]

I've been looking, and I've not found one yet. They may not have a guild here. I have been offered some lessons by the librarian here in Caer Glaem, and there are plenty of books, so at least there is that.

[bullhorned]

Books. That seems a poor way to learn anything. I found myself a master here. The best in all this world. It took the monarchs to arrange it, though.

[wolvering]

I may have to ask them, should I get the chance. And perhaps once more important questions are answered. Still, that is another place I might look for a way to learn, so thank you.

[bullhorned]

[He grunts because this whole being thanked thing makes it sound like he did something special for her.]

Just... don't get yourself eaten before then.

[wolvering]

I've no intention of it, and I'm certain Kiga will do what he can to protect me if someone or something tries. But thank you again, for the well-wishes.