Fable - Ask Two Taboos

[Taboo]

|| Jorg ||

All normal methods of spreading the curse. Now the Half-Drow's pale visage reflected notable, utter confusion. There had to be some other reason.

"What time of the moon?" maybe the type of full moon could be it? Was it during a double full moon? Perhaps there was a variation to the curse?

As much as she hated asking and delving into it like her former Full-Blood master, Taboo couldn't help herself.

 

[Jorg]

"Uhh." Thren frowned for a moment. "None after the deal. Used to be during the Double Moon though."

It quickly became apparent just how little Jorg actually knew about the affliction that he carried. To him this wasn't exactly out of the ordinary. He had only ever met one other Werewolf in his entire life, and he'd needed to slaughter the man.

The fight had been a brutal one. "Now its more of a trade off. I get fourteen days, he gets three."

A shrug rolled over his shoulder.

"Seems a fair amount of time for us both." There had been a fourth day for the Wolf once, but that had been Jorg's choice too.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

So it still ran the same amount of cycle as Lessat's moon? Strange, very strange. There were more questions but the Half-Drow's broken Common would not be able to properly convey the series of questions she had.

A frustrated frown and then a deep sigh came from her then. It irked her how curious it made her, well aware that it was the Fullblood's fault for the several years she worked under at his apprentice for this morbid fascination and curiosity she had.

Her fingers gave a light tap against her thigh, thinking pondering.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg shrugged his shoulders again.

"Well." He said with a slight frown, not entirely sure what else he was supposed to say at this point. Fingers tightened and then he simply leaned back and decided that it was probably for the best he shut up.

Jorg couldn't remember the last time he had actually told anyone this much about his condition.

"So..." He began. "Drow huh?"

His head turned towards her. "What's that like?'

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

The word 'Drow' had an unusual reaction from the woman. A muscle in her jaw would flex, and her eyes would narrow, followed by a rather loud self-deprecating snort.

"Fullblood, no." might as well make that clear. Humans couldn't tell the difference. Any dark-skinned, knife-eared like elf was likely considered to be a Drow. Prejudice and all.

She didn't appear forthcoming enough to provide more information aloud, but her physical reaction was enough to spark interest.

 

[Jorg]

Half-Breed, that made sense he supposed. From what he understood, most drow didn't give a single fuck about those on the surface. Hell, if he believed the rumors he would have said that they were the ones who'd sent that monster to the village in the first place.

Jorg tried not to think like that, mostly because he knew exactly what it felt like to have such prejudice set against him.

He'd just experienced it from her after all. "Ah."

The Werewolf said as he ran a hand over his mustache, considering for a few moments before he half turned towards her in observation.

"Did they kick you out or did you leave?" Probably a bit of a personal question, but he asked it anyway.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

That was a rather complicated question to answer. It obviously ruffled the Half-Drow's feathers, the woman bringing up her knee and bending it to study the wound on her leg, as if that was the most important priority than answering the man's question.

No one can really leave the Underealm. Nor could they really be kicked out. It was... complicated. The drow are a fractured people, having fallen from grace and lost a notable amount of power in the Underrealm. Their goddess hadn't answered their prayers for centuries. Taboo herself had been underground with a Fullblood that was more of a hermit mage tinkering with whatever caught his fancy. Doing his best to create new creations and perhaps play the role of God himself. The males of their species were never truly as powerful as the women. Perhaps that is why he took her in even if she was a half blood. She was of use.

"No. I hunt. " it was as honest of an answer as she could give. Her travel above ground were limited. The exposure she had placed her at risk from humans and Fullbloods alike. It was rare for her to stay above ground so long. Only the wail of the Wi'tigo had caught her attention, forcing her to come up.

 

[Jorg]

Lips thinned and he shifted uneasily. "Like...monsters?"

That explained why she knew so much about lycanthropy, also explained why she had gone after that monster back in the village. A frown settled on his face as he wondered what she would have done to him under more ordinary circumstances.

Whatever sort of magic she had was nasty.

Jorg didn't quite understand it of course, he had only seen her use it that one time and all he'd really observed was blood pouring from wounds that had not been there. The idea of that being used on him made him nervous though.

"Dangerous." He said with a frown. "Shouldn't you have a partner or two?"

Most monster hunters he knew did not work alone.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

"Yes and no." Taboo replied, her face contouring in confusion at trying to relay her thoughts in Common. Trying to relay the complexity was hard when she only had a few words to use to convey it.

As for his questions, her answer applied to both.

"Me know. Me do. Me hear. Me hunt. " she explained matter of factly. Besides, she'd yet to meet any other Fullblood willing to work with her due to the master's inclusiveness and anyone else nearby... well, was more apt to try and slice her head off her shoulders than help. She could do this just fine.

 

[Jorg]

Well that just seemed about everything that someone could actually do, but she had said yes to having a partner.

Jorg wondered briefly if she too had a monster within her. Given her reaction to him he doubted it was a wolf, and he did not smell the tell-tale scent of lycanthropy. That didn't meant it wasn't something else of course, there were hundreds of demons and monsters that could make themselves right at home in a living being.

Though he didn't know all of them, or even a fraction really.

"So then what does your partner do?" He decided that it would be simplest just to ask. She'd been rather forthcoming so far, perhaps due to his own truths. Maybe she would tell him this as well.

Worth a shot at least.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Well it wasn’t that she had a partner. Speaking in common was a frustrating thing. Taboo was not particularly great at it and it seemed that what she answered was long in translation.

”Yes. Danger. Partner. No.” maybe that would clear itup?

 

[Jorg]

So her partner didn't take on any of the danger?

That didn't really seem like much of a pa-oh. "I see."

She didn't have a partner, she had a boss...or at the very least that what it seemed like. His lips thinned for a brief moment, and his head shook slightly as he tried to reason through it. Then he nodded his head, though it was more a gesture to himself.

"So...You do everything." Jorg pointed out. "What do they do?"

He wondered if that question had ever even occurred to her.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Why was he asking her questions? The irony considering her own incessant barrage to the man went over her head. However, Taboo was not used to being on the receiving end of questions. She typically did the asking.

"No partner." she told him bluntly in her broken Common. Was that clear now? "Me. Me do. Me hunt." she even gave a tap of her chest in emphasis, hoping that would translate well.

Ever since the Full-blood died, there was little that Taboo could do. The hovel of a cavern that he'd hermitted her away with his experiments was always there for her to return to - as much of a home as one could call. But with the Full-blood's death meant that she could do whatever she wanted. Oddly enough, that resulted in still conducting experiements and researching. Old habits died hard.

 

[Jorg]

He frowned for a moment, then nodded. "Ah."

Despite the sound, Jorg wasn't entirely sure that he exactly understood what she was trying to get at. It all seemed a bit of a mystery to him still, and he couldn't help the frown that flickered over his features as he watched her.

"So..." Hunt. That much was clear. "Explains why you knew so much about that...thing."

He'd forgotten his name.

It seemed odd to him that someone like her would be a Monster Hunter, but then...there had been that magic. "What did you...do to that thing?"

He asked.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Taboo would take a moment to peer down at her leg injury. She gave a small grimace as she lifted some of the bandages. While there was still a dull ache, the blood was clotting nicely. Good enough.

Ruby red pupils dilated upon returning their attention back to Jorg. " Head must burn. Only way. Curse too much. Spread more. No think. Just fight. Just eat. "

 

[Jorg]

Jorg nodded slightly in understanding. So the monster had been just that...a monster. He wondered if that was how Taboo saw him, or would see him if he shifted in front of her. He couldn't really blame her if she did, after all that was the tale of most werewolves.

A frown touched his lips.

Was the Wolf like that? Years ago he would have said yes, he would have said that the beast inside only cared about one thing. Now though?

Now it was different. "Fuck."

He said quietly, realizing that things were somewhat different for him than they were for other of his...sort. A frown flickered on his face, and he slowly shook his head. Why the hell was that?

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

It was settling in. The seriousness of the matter. Taboo gave a cluck of her tongue.

"No cure. Too far. Too much. " she added with a knowing nod, thinking back at the various experiments the Full-Blood had conducted to determine so much knowledge.

"Wi'tigo. Vampire. You." she began to tick the names of various other creatures. "Changling..." oh there were so many.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg had never much minded being a monster. The isolation suited him well enough, and it had always been a pretty good excuse for staying away from home. Mallian was far from where they were not, though even now he still felt it's called.

Fingers tightened for a moment and he shook his head at her. "No no no."

He denied her accusation.

"I'm not like them. It's not..." Oh this woman...Drow...were their genders the same? Jorg wasn't entirely sure but he assumed so. She was going to kill him. Maybe keep him in a cage if she could. At least If she had the strength. "Whatever I transform intom..the wolf, it's not stupid or a monster."

Well, maybe a monster but not stupid. "It wants more than just blood and death."

More than that thing back in the village.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Seeing him deny so vehemently once again reminded Taboo of the others who had done the same.However her interest piqued when she caught him saying that the wolf wanted more than just blood and death.

A dark eyebrow rose, “What more?” She was curious again. She couldn’t help it.

“How know?”

 

[Jorg]

How did he explain it? "I've seen it...stop."

A frown touched his lips. The memory were feint. He hardly watched the Wolf when it controlled his body, either be wise it was torture not being able to do as he wanted or because...well because it was boring. Yet there were a few memories that stood out better than others.

"I can think of a dozen times it could've killed and eaten something and it didn't." He frowned. "A man and his daughter fishing. A woman alone in a field. A soldier who'd gotten lost."

A frown touched his face, there were a lot of instances like that. "It doesn't...always just want to kill. It's curious. Wants to know things."

He had a vivid memory of the Wolf smelling different flowers, exploring through a pasture until it had been chased off by a

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Seen it stop? Curious? That was strange. Why would a werewolf be so? It made Taboo want to learn more but that would require things.

Things that the man would not be happy be done.

Then again, how much truth was it to what he told her? It could all be made up lies of a man grasping at straws.

“Strange.” She said, doubtful but equally curious. The fire continued to crackle. Taboo shut her eyes, but only momentarily.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg shrugged. He wasn't entirely sure if it was strange or not. From every myth he'd ever heard about Werewolves they were slaughterers and killers, but he'd only ever met one other one.

"I don't know." He admitted quietly.

From the stories he would have assumed the same as everyone, but he supposed it was rather different living with one of the beasts in your head. Fingers drummed onto his leg, and he glanced briefly at the Drow who seemed to be falling asleep.

"I doubt anyone does." He frowned. "There aren't exactly a lot of old Werewolves."

That he knew of anyway.

The owl hooted on one of the nearby branches.

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Now he brought up a good question. Had he met any others?

"Others know?" while her broken Common was a little difficult to interpret at times, the gist of it could be relayed. In this instance, if he had met any other werewolves? From what she knew of, they had a tendency to be by themselves. Most did not survive the transformation or were quickly hunted down due to the savagery of their attacks.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg shook his head. "There's a woman...from Elbion, but she's not a Werewolf."

That one had been...interesting. He had sold himself out as a Mercenary to lead people into the Wilds, get them a glimpse of something dangerous. That woman had been some sort of inventor, and she'd wanted to visit a ruin deep in the jungles.

They had gone together, and encountered...well he still wasn't sure what the fuck it had all been, but he'd shifted. That was another reason he was so sure that it could think. The damned thing hadn't slaughtered Gabrielle.

"I've only ever met one other Werewolf." He told her. "And I had to kill him."

 

[Taboo]

Jorg

Someone who was not a werewolf? Now that was interesting. Taboo's ruby red irises seemed to flare with intrigue, and she even bent forward to lean in as if to listen clearly.

"No werewolf? What then?" she asked.

As for the other Werewolf. "Other mean one who cursed you?"