This is a stick up

"So , you've never played Kashar before?!" Citra questioned , gold hued eyes wide in complete confusion "You play a jest on me , everyone knows Kashar! There's no way you undead couldn't." She replied with a grin as their carriage rolled along the bumpy untended back road. A few days had quickly  since the incident in that village and since then the two travelers had begun to make their way to the large town of Watershome , but currently they had only made it half that distance. However Citra found it hard to be board when here wagon-mate was so interesting , he had so many ideas and customs that seemed so strange and foreign and she found herself enthralled whenever their conversations turned to his homeland.

"Well we have games, like Letzter Krieg; a board game that simulates two vast armies in a war of attrition. I've never heard of Kashar though." He scratched his chin thinking for a bit, and blushing as he admitted in an apologetic manner "It shouldn't be too surprising, the Chaggerta... are not views fondly by most of my people" A fact which most Chaggerta might not even know due to the fact most undead travelers were typically stoic, and helpful in nature to just about everyone.

A look of surprise flashed across her face , but soon a small frown took it's place "And why is that friend Janik? What reason would they have to hold their neighbors in disdain?"

"Well..." Janik paused a moment before beginning to think of a moment to think this "I'm not saying I agree with them, I don't remember what happened, and I don't think it's right to judge people on what their forefather's did. Basically for many it boils down to your ancestors fled and left them to face the wraiths of the north alone, and for their cowardice their race now thrives, while those who showed bravery and virtue are now condemned to wander a sunless land as either insane and rotten husks of their former selves, or trapped in a cycle of rot and renewal doomed to witness their once vibrant companions now hollow and withered, their souls bound to this world for eternity. Some even see your people's success as a sleight against them by the gods, but most don't go that far. I suppose it just seems unfair to them that the gods blessed those who ran while those who stayed to fight were cursed."

For a long time she remained silent , brows furrowing eyes locked to the road ahead as she pondered the words her companion had said . She had heard of the wraiths before , of course she had , it was them who drove her people from their old city in the first place , the one she was compelled to find. After a few more moments of tepid silence her eyes turned back to Janik  "It is not my place to make excuses for what my ancestors did, I know not what truly motivated them...but in regards to this claim I have a question ." The monk replied simply .

"I may not have an answer." Janik admitted apologetically as again he did not remember what happened.

"You never read on it?" She replied genuinely surprised.

"I've read a bit, but I don't know it as well as many of my people do" Janik explained to her

"Ah I see...well ,from our records the Chaggerta never held any alliance with your kind , nor are we kin...so why would we stay?"

"Oh that's easy to stand in defense of all living things , and all the beauty in the world that the wraiths would have destroyed in their conquest; nor to mention for your honor." Janik explain something that to him and his people seemed clear as day. "Just because you were not obligated by us to say, does not mean it is virtuous to flee. Your people have always claimed to love the land, and yet when it is under threat they abandoned it to be destroyed, and ravaged setting out for new lands. Even if they knew we could handle it leaving someone else to fight for you is one of the greatest sins of my people, except in a few cases; family and battle brothers, and sometimes lovers depending on circumstance ect. As you mentioned our people had no such kinship, so that is why they hate your people."

"Another question , when they burned our capitol to the ground , did we hear any help from the Ferund?" She replied flatly "Our record tell of seven days and seven nights of Kara Koru being burned , of it's elders and scholars hunted down and slain , of the gates locked so none could flee...there was no help from ferund then , for all of it's virtues of bravery." She pointed out sharply "None at all ,no messengers came to our lands bearing offers ,no reinforcements despite the fact that we had few warriors in those years , yet for some reason we were expected to stay?"

Janik remained cheerful and neutral, taking her sharp remark in proverbial stride "Well to be entirely fair things were a lot worse fighting on the northern coast of Ferund, where they landed. I mean at that point they were tied up with their own battles already already, and it's not that the expected you to stay or even wanted your assistance; they just thought it was cowardly to flee, and they think it is unfair the gods blessed your people for cowardess and so resent you, or they just think of you as a lesser race from whom it is unfair to hold to our standards of ourselves." He then patiently reminded her "Why do you seem irritated at me? These aren't my opinions I'm just trying to answer your questions on the general attitudes of my people."

"Janik I am not upset with you at all." She replied with a shake of her head "I simply find such views an annoyance , considering Undead merchants rarely bring up these thoughts when they come to our lands , although that makes sense , I believe the materials for your preservatives do hail from Chaggerta lands."

"Well they don't bring it up because it is hardly polite when visiting the land of another, the old ones who still remember, and hold these views hold to very strict standards when outside of Ferund, they are supposed to be helpful and polite, and would likely lay down their life to help someone in need in accordance with this. Additionally you must remember there are only a handful of merchants, they tend to be the more personable types, and not to visit people they hold grudges against; So someone who hates the chaggerta if they insist on being a merchant is more likely to visit other lands." Janik explained, as that was common knowledge "In fact most of my kind never leave Ferund anymore"

"That is sad , I could not imagine an existence like that." She replied with a shake of her head.

"In such circumstances even a kind heart can be poisoned with hatred." Janik said wisely, and nodded

"It simply goes against everything I know....one cannot simply stay still and stagnate , when a limb doesn't move it atrophies , when one sits in the cold one freezes....movement is integral to life is it not?"

"Ah but you forget, we're not exactly alive" He reminds the chaggerta

"Yes , but would not sitting still continue the decay?"

"Actually the cold helps quite a bit, normally we rot faster on the move, most of our more intense preservation rituals are for when we are on the road"

In the distance they hear yelling, one man clearly a bandit has another on the ground boot on his chest and sword tip to his throat "You think you can steal from me you little shit!? You have five seconds to empty your pockets or the last thing going through your head will be the tip of my sword!"

"Woah woah woah friend let's all slow down !" The alleged thief replied , surprisingly white teeth drawn into what would be a charming smile to anyone else. As the sound of wheels tumbling along the road reached his ears his head snapped in the direction of the duo and he yelled out a "HEEEELP!"

"Just move along" He warned them gruffly as they approached "This is between myself and this thief"

"I do not think we'll be doing that , you are a bandit I can sense it coming off you in waves." Citra replied calmly as their wagon pulled to a halt "Let the boy go or I get involved." She stated firmly , golden wolf like eyes locked on the brigand.

"Aye I'll let him go as soon as he returns my coinpurse" The Rogue replies firmly with a brief glare

"You will let him go now , and we will talk this out." She concluded flatly with a shake of her head.