#sabellen

Look how far we've come Found a bond that lasted We'll outshine the sun Nothing matters more than us Nothing matters more than trust

All human modern version of the Implausibles!

Heavily inspired by this song of course: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fN6dGGvN5Nc

Our first two deaths (and prompt emotional resurrection) of the campaign happened when we least expected it. It really made for an amazing moment.

The other recruits came rushing out of their cover, Vitrala with the healer's kit, Kiraj to help Mizzar walk, Zaiel to whoop and cheer his companions. But Sabellan just stood before the peryton, staring as it wheezed and weakly cried, rubbing the ruined half of its face in the snow, hoping to dull the pain.

“What...what should we do about it?” he asked.

Mizzar plopped down on a log, and Vitrala and Kiraj helped him remove his breastplate.

“Leave it. As long as it's wounded and crying, it'll draw predators towards it, and away from us.

“That was amazing, sir!” Zaiel said, slapping his commander on the back and ignoring the angry look Vitrala shot him. “And Sabellan, that was crazy! They were all 'screech!'and you were all 'come get some' and-”

Sabellan plunged his sword into the peryton's eye and through its skull. It gasped one final time, then went limp. He turned back towards Mizzar, waiting for a rebuke that didn't come.

“It...” he said after a long moment. “It was hurting.”

Mizzar said nothing. Once he was patched up, the team pushed on, with Sabellan and Vitrala in the back, and he used the opportunity to consider the young Blackscale. He had guts, he'd give the hatchling that. And what's more, he had talent – his Stone stance was excellent, and his River wasn't bad for his age. He showed he could work with a team, and had decent tactical instincts. And he knew from watching him in sparring matches that the kid could take a punch.

And then, there was that sympathy, that pity. It had made him guard Vitrala, and down three perytons, true. But it had also made him shoot off his mouth, and disobey a direct order. Properly harnessed, that attachment might serve him, but, in Mizzar's experience it usually meant an abdication of duty and an easily distracted mind on the battlefield.

But even so, if Sabellan Blackscale could just cast off that childish sense of mercy, kill that...weakness...then Mizzar was certain that he would make an excellent paladin.