Machinations.
The gnolls have become more than just a nuisance to Qeynos. For as long as I can remember, they have been harassing travelers in Antonica and breeding in their lair, known as Blackburrow. But now there is a complex plot afoot, involving a Freeportian gnome and various machines meant to help the gnolls dig tunnels into the city.
It so happens that three different adventurers uncovered different pieces of this plot. I myself discovered some of the machines, hidden via illusions, in the Forest Ruins. A wood elf ranger named Larhanya overheard a meeting between the gnome and some gnoll leaders in Oakmyst Forest, and a barbarian templar known as "Whiskey Jack" uncovered some of the gnolls' camps and plans in the Peat Bog. The Qeynos Guard decided to have the three of us work together, along with a few other adventurers, to infiltrate a nearby cave system that seemed to be the headquarters of this entire operation.
I found myself feeling a great deal of compassion for Larhanya Theliel, the wood elf. In some ways her upbringing was very similar to mine, in that she was raised among her people and has very little experience as of yet in mingling with other cultures. Larhanya has a wide-eyed innocence about her that roused my protective instincts, though the large kerran who took point in the caves was a better source of protection, and she wisely loosed her arrows safely from his shadow.
”Whiskey Jack”, on the other hand, I am struggling to comprehend. His ways seem to me rather brash and blunt, but his moral compass is unerring. I did not get many chances to speak with him, but what few questions I was able to ask painted a picture of a fiercely righteous man who comes from a long line of priests dedicated to fighting evil. He was obviously angry at the infiltration of the gnolls and the betrayal of the gnome, but strangely he seemed more upset by the gnome's machinations than his antipathy for Qeynos. It seems he'd have respected the gnome more if he'd simply attacked outright, which is baffling to me. I would assume that careful planning and subtlety would always be the more admirable course.
Even more baffling is the fact that although nearly everything I said to Jack was in polite (I hope) disagreement with his views, each time we spoke he smiled just a little wider, and his demeanor seemed just a little warmer. Perhaps he enjoys debate, despite seeming predisposed more toward physical than mental pursuits? I hope I have more chance to speak with him and understand his mindset.
As for Larhanya, I would like to find out more about how wood elves indicate a desire for friendship - gifts, gestures, et cetera - so that I might approach her in a way she will find neither overbearing nor aloof.
The social aspect of my endeavors has proven more difficult than I had anticipated.
