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Here’s a question, you begin with renewed interest: is she some kind of dragonwoman or something? What’s a Skog anyways?
“A dra’ghon?” Volka replies as she tries the word out a few times. “What’s that?”
It’s a mythical creature from where you’re from, you reply–they’re these really big, scaly monsters with massive wings and tails, nasty teeth, like to hoard gold… oh, and they can breathe fire!
“Oooh….” Volka remarks as she puts together a picture in her brain, “I guess Skogs are sort of like that! Never met one that could fly or breathe fire, though… but you never know!” She adds with a conspiratorial wink! “These draygins… do they help humans?”
Ermmm, not <span class="mu-i">exactly</span>, you shrug. Most of the time they eat ‘em and burn villages.
“Oh.” The air grows chilly as a silence forms between you. “Ant?”
Yea, Volka?
“I um…” She begins, slowly piecing the words together in her head, “I don’t know how long you plan to stay here, but you might meet some Skog that, well… aren’t very nice.”
Shit, you did it <span class="mu-i">again</span>, Ant… you always know how to make the ladies feel appreciated…
“The truth is, most people just think Skogs wanna hurt people.” Adds your guide in a very un-Volka tone, “And steal, and destroy… and I’m not gonna lie to you–a lot of Skogs DO do those things! Hells, the Western Lands are ruled by Skogs… and they aren’t nice, Ant… so when people see a Skog, they think…well..”
But not ALL of them are bad, right?
“E-EXACTLY!” Volka nods, shaking you around in her excitement! “And I know I probably seem really scary when you don’t have scales, or horns, or fangs… but, well…”
She pauses again in thought. “... I don’t know what point I’m trying to make here, but… just trust me, okay? Don’t be afraid.”
Okay, you nod, sensing this is more of a sensitive subject than Volka’s leading on, you will.
“G-great!” She laughs, her tail nearly whipping you in the face again, “Glad to get that off my chest!”
But just to confirm, you add, Skogs <span class="mu-i">ARE</span> pretty good in a fight, right?
“Oh Hells yea!” Volka giggles, “Once Mor had a bit too much Ruupaa to drink and he challenged me to a wrestling match–poor guy needed a solid potion regimen for <span class="mu-i">weeks</span> before he could talk again!”
Note to self: don’t wrestle Volka…
Anything else you wanna ask her in particular?
>Where’d she learn to fight?
>So her and her dad, what’s the story there?
>What’s this Lamplighter thing?
>Does she have many friends besides Mor?
>What does she do for fun?
>Tell me more about Skogs.
>The West… what’s it like?
>Nah, that’s enough.
>Write-In!
