GuloxSynovia, Turtleback Inn, 25th of Kuthona

The Turtleback inn is quiet, the roaring of the rain being the most prevalent noise, Gulo takes a slow drink from his tankard, Klug resting on his shoulders, looking to everyone like a fur coller with a bemused face. Gulo looks over to Synovia, his face as stony as ever "Synovia, can I ask your help with something?"

"Sure Gulo, what do you need?"

"Herr Grady has told me I need to be more personable thou his words were "Gulo, you're a scary little bastard and you freak out most of the guards." He has a point I think, thou I don't know how to go about it."

"Actually Gulo, you do. Have you noticed that you,from the moment we met, are not as brash and commanding with me as everyone else?" She pauses for that to sink in,then continues "why do you think that is?"

"There is a familiarity between us in the same way there is a familiarity between me and Shelelu and there was a familiarity with me old unit, we are warriors, we understand one another on a level most do not. the guards may be able to swing a sword and fire a crossbow, but at the end of the day they are still civilians, unaware of what true war is."

Synovia laughs,"Gulo, I have never been a warrior,not in a real war. I was trained by Balor to swing a sword because i was an angery kid who needed an outlet for that anger. I am just a civilian who is using her skills to protect my town and loved ones. The same way those guards are. Right now, they are protecting Sandpoint, so that we can aid others. Is that not worthy of respect?" She pauses then adds, "Your issue is not finding common ground with them. It is your lack of respect for them."

"You might have a point, I remember what General Ariovistus "A wolf cares only for his own pack, if prey should fear him then he is better for it." thou I think General Ariovistus never imagined one of his own in civilian life, a human one none the less."

"Gulo, It is hard to retrain yourself, so don't. Instead, seek to find something in the guards to respect.The normal guard, for instance, CHOOSES  to stay and defend Sandpoint. Through goblin raids, psycho killers,  and undead horrors these men and women chose to fight and defend their city. They could have run, but they didn't. The goblins have left everything they know  because they want more even though they were left outside the gates when the murderous cult was killing everything in it's path. They had the courage to tough it out and are slowly  becoming a productive part of the city. Are these people not worthy of the same respect of a soldier if not more?"

"The guards know no other life and fight because they have no other option. They have few or no useful skills outside of combat and that leaves them with nothing useful if they choose to leave service, as you said Synovia it is hard to retrain yourself. if they did run from the guard it would be strait into banditry or mercenary work, or destitution. I respect Balor for instilling them with a sense of duty and turning them into something of use, so I suppose I respect them tangentially. As for the goblins that is more of Miro's efforts, he an excellent manipulator and if he had been born a hob he would be an excellent general. I respect him and Grosilge for keeping the goblins in check, but I have seen the goblins first hand and I find little to respect. I do respect the goblin squad, in them I can see the qualities you speak of." Gulo is silent, thinking for a moment, he looks back to Synovia, his face as stony as ever "I could have stated that more personably, couldn't I?"

Synovia's eyes turn from light violet to deep purple almost black as she visabley tries to control her anger. In a deadly calm voice she says, "no Gulo you are very wrong. If a person wants to they can change. Take me, not to long ago those insults to my people, would have cost you your life. Now they may cost you my friendship. You will never change until you have something to change for." Her anger disappears as a realization strikes her."I feel sorry for you Gulo. You are a soldier, that is all you are. You have nothing else in your life. You are like a lost child lashing out at those who have what you don't but wish you did." She turns and quietly leaves the table.

Gulo thinks to say something in response, but knows better then to further provoke a warrior, a punch he could take but her sword he could not. He scratches Klug under the chin, purring in response. He chuckles humorously, sounding almost unnatural from him "She's right about one thing Klug, I am a soldier, I have been one so long that if you we're to peal the layers away you would find nothing, my weapon has more of an identity then me." he removes Klug from shoulder, the cat grunting distontently, but doing nothing more. He holds the cat to his face, dark humor replaced by introspection "But what do I fight for Klug, maybe you perhaps, you would morn me for a moment wouldn't you?" Klug says nothing in response, simply looking at Gulo with an indifferent gaze "I thought as much."