Prisoner’s Dilemma

Starg. My old friend. My enemy. My responsibility. What to do?

A Brick has been understanding. He lets me visit Starg when me wants to. But me gets the distinct impression that Starg's future might be short unless something changes. Right now, they have him doing some refuse clearing.

I visited him in his dwarf cell. It is a little cramped for him. I think his eye is blazing with even more hatred now. But there is also something else, a little spark of something, something new.

"Hi Starg, how are you doing? Anything I can get you?"

"My freedom. Or perhaps a sword so that I can slay you and those filthy dwarves. Scratch that. Just take these shackles off of me so I can pummel you to death."

"That's the spirit. Always going for the pummeling. Kord would be proud."

"I spit on you and your mangy Kord."

I shook my head. "Now Starg, don't hold back. Tell me what you really think."

"What I think? I keep regretting coming back. I thought about staying on the other side. But then how could I get you from there? Also, the other side is not pleasant. Fire and torture."

"I have been to the other side. It was quite fun."

"What? You died? Not by my hand?"

"I have died probably 20, 30 times. I went to the planes of Ysgard, the plane with many of Kord's followers. It was pretty sweet. Killing, dying, coming back the next day, getting drunk, and more fighting. It was hard to come back."

Starg grunted and turned his back on me.

"Here, Starg. I hid this tankard of ale for you. I thought we could toast to our reunion, despite the circumstances. I have missed you, old friend."

Starg took the ale slowly. Swirled it as he used to do. Take a good gulp, and then spit it at me, throwing the tankard at me.

"I will not drink with you, _old friend. _I will toast to your destruction. I think death is too good for you. I see that I need to trap your soul, just like..." and Starg trailed off with an icy stare.

I did not know what he meant. I ignored it. "I also wanted to thank you Starg. Your information was very useful in saving Fiola. The orcs did not fare too well. You remember her, right? Quite the temper. She was angry and ferocious. I think she killed over a hundred orcs. And then after that, while we were resting in a cave, well, we had a nice night together."

"That's great Mord. Betray our people, killing them? For a woman? You sicken me."

"They betrayed us. They swore to Kord, Kord's people are our people. One day you will understand that Gruumsh loves you not, but Kord will be there for you. Gruumsh wants to destroy, Kord wants to promote competition, being good sports, and wailing on other people."

Starg sat there silently, staring at the floor, his good eye looking down, thoughtful. Then he brought his head up with a nasty sneer. "Well, Mord, this was a fun visit. Do drop in again soon. Go away you monster of Kord." And he spit at me, shaking his fists futilely at me.

And he turned away from me and laid down to sleep. I stayed for a time watching over my friend. Sadness overcame me though and I left to get a proper drink.

What to do with Starg. How do I reach him? Maybe I need some advice.

Mords of Wisdom: Ale cannot fix everything.