A Treatise on Buppi - Our History, and Our Future

It is fair to describe my history with Buppi. I didn't like Buppi all that much when I met him. I saw him as being 'in' with Myon, who (due to several poor impressions) I was quite opposed to at the time. I didn't dislike him actively, however. This was around the time I began ingraining myself into the Heartwood Grove's goings on, roughly a tenday before Burin became Archdruid.

Through discussions with a number of people who filtered through the Heartwood, I built up a mixed impression of who Buppi is. A renegade acting against the forces of evil without compassion or care for consequence? A bloodthirsty bastard? The tales were many, but one thing grew clear. Irregardless of motive, goal or endeavour, bodies built up behind Buppi's footfalls.

I elected to try and guide him away from this. Having spoken to him, I believe fully that he means to eliminate evil, more so than he aims to assauge the suffering. He believes that is his purpose - to channel his rage, primal hungers and inherent viciousness into punishing those who create suffering.

The infamous conflict of his with Dregan was the first time I bore witness to the depths he could sink to. In a bout of fury he lost his diadem, lashed out at a ranger's companion and Burin, then ran off into the deeper woods. Dregan collected his diadem, and intended to give it back to him. They met to exchange it, and the exact specifics differ here.

Buppi claims that Dregan taunted him and refused to give him the diadem, Dregan claims that she claimed she would study it before giving it back. Regardless of the specifics, Dregan wouldn't give it back and Buppi struck her. She conjured forth Burin, but he didn't arrive until Buppi's pride of panthers had downed her. Buppi retreated, and has refused to apologise, claiming he was justified to attack her to reclaim his property which allegedly alleviates his mental instability.

There were calls to have Buppi banished at this stage. I wasn't in support of or against them at this stage - I called upon people to give him a chance to mend his ways, believing him capable of being better than his worst. Burin elected to 'cleanse him by Dragonfire' as penance, and he was allowed to continue without being banished in any form. This lead up to my involvement with the Brandt Battle, where he and I fought against the vile pale masters, fiend-pacters, murderers and vampires together. Of note going forward, Sylvia Naern was also there. This was the better side of Buppi - a man truly devoted to undoing injustice and making the land safer, in a case with a clear villain.

Which leads us to a much more convoluted tale, which awkwardly connects with several other tales. The slaying of Jacetuhn Nerelith. This instance was instigated by accident by Raunrai, who sighted the Slavebreaker Hadi within Soulhaven. Hadi had recently brought a slave named Unella to Soulhaven, pleading with Master Nerelith for his aid in removing nerve swimmers from her.

For the purpose of somewhat important clarity; Raunrai was forced into developing the nerve swimmer torture by Lavok Xun'viir, and had a close bond with Unella, which Hadi (sadistically) toyed with. Hadi would encourage slaves under his whip to develop bonds, then pit them against each other to indoctrinate them, as well as to create scenarios where he would be seen as the 'salvation' from their agony. In this case, it is widely believed that he wished the swimmers removed to paint Raunrai as a villain in her eyes, while making himself look to be a sympathetic, caring torturer of slaves. The depths of this tale go deeper, but are unrelated to the focus.

Regardless, the illithid origin of the nerve swimmers makes it so that an ascetic's ki is a potent countermeasure, killing the swimmers and allowing the healing process to begin, and Jacetuhn's mastery of ki was so acute that he could manipulate another individual's ki to such a point as to remove these torturous beings. After having done so to ease the slave's pain, it is believed that Hadi returned to explore the opportunity of corrupting Jacetuhn in some fashion, and by all accounts that is the agreed upon theory. During this second meeting Raunrai divined the location of Hadi and sent Sylvia Naern and Buppi to attempt to defeat the wretched lowlife.

It is difficult to discern the exact truth in this matter, especially now that nearly all of those involved are dead. Sylvia, Buppi and a third knocked upon Jacetuhn's door and demanded Hadi be handed over to them for execution. Jacetuhn refused to break the peacebond of Soulhaven. By Jacetuhn's account, Buppi then taunted and mocked Jace in regards to his sexual proclivities, made a series of threats and then agreed to wait outside for Hadi to leave through the front door. Hadi instead opted to utilise the portal and retreated to Andunor.

Jacetuhn went outside to inform them of this, and was then attacked by Sylvia Naern for what was seen as aiding Hadi's escape. Jacetuhn reportedly put up a token defense by attacking her with a trainee quarterstaff, before she grew tired of his evasion and instead pelted him with grenades. Buppi watched until Jacetuhn was defeated, where reports differ slightly afterwards. Either Buppi incinerated the body, or he ripped of Jacetuhn's head.

There are a myriad of smaller details, but pedagogery will accomplish little. During my investigation into this debacle I was warned on several occasions that Buppi may try to kill me. During this time I was also informed that an attack on the Concordant Fort by worshippers of Loss resulted in Vance Gravelle and Buppi's injury and Sylvia Naern's death. Furtherly, I was told that assassins may try to kill me due to my association with the Brandt battle, and that information that I had been told put me in danger of being killed by allies I trust (which I will touch upon later).

To be clear; I didn't believe that Buppi would pose a risk to me. Despite some obvious disagreements regarding our worldviews, we got along. But when he appeared before me one day while I was reading alone, himself fully warded, I had a moment of worry. I questioned him on the matter, and he responded to my inquiries poorly. In his defense, I was accusing him of lying regarding elements of the Jacetuhn incident and insinuating that his bloodlust got the better of him (at the time I believed he had a more direct hand in Jacetuhn's death, rather than acting as an observer), so I cannot fault him for feeling attacked in some way.

However, he accused me of taking sadistic glee in watching him suffer. My tact broke down at that, as such is not just an insult, but an absolute contradiction of my oaths and passions towards life. In a rage, I scolded him for insulting me - one of the few people who had continually given him chance after chance - so direly as to actually infuriate me.

He apologised. And he kept apologising for a long time after that, until eventually a time came where things returned to normal.

For a time, Buppi was once again focused entirely on hunting down worshippers of Loss, actively hostile Banites and animators. But often the allies of such foes mingle with figures unaware as to their true intentions and activities. Which leads us to the case of Nick Aerthur.

The attack on Concord was done by the Voidcult, and while it was easy to summise some of the figures involved, a question lingered in the air. The locks and security in Concord were the pinnacle, as Concord's enemies are many, and well equipped. But very few directly involved with the Voidcult were known to have the skills required to open up locks that intricate. Ergo, they had to rely on an ally. Nick Aerthur, the high priest of Mask, has a longstanding history of breaking locks, and was a well known associate of Miranda Magna - a prominent figure in the faith of Loss.

Reportedly, the way things played out was that Nick Aerthur was found in Cordor by Buppi and John. They spoke, asking if he had picked any locks recently, and Nick summarily began sprinting away. John casted a spell which felled him, and they left. This unfortunately became a drawn out inquiry, as Cordor was unaware as to the exact details of Nick's actions and believed that he should be given his day in court before punishment. Historically, as has been reported by Edmund (What even is his surname now?), Nick was known to retreat and vanish himself at the sight of any form of legal representative to avoid repercussion or consequence, so it's quite reasonable to assume that any attempt to hold him accountable could end poorly.

Cordor's judiciary decided to exile John and Buppi for murder, with chance for appeal should they stand trial. John stood trial (unrelated to this document, but of note: Nick Aerthur was there and admitted to being neighbourly with the Voidcult, and was made pariah for six months. John's exile was reduced to six months). Buppi, however, never got so far.

The Cordorian guard were sent to inform Buppi of his exile, and his opportunity to appeal. He was found in the Heartwood Grove. Upon being informed of his exile he was abrasive, and Lucia, a member of the guard, likened him to a Cyricist for his lack of remorse and bloodthirsty nature.

He ripped her throat out, and ran. I personally penned a note advising the Heartwood and its allies to be prepared to kill Buppi on sight, for any good will I had towards Buppi was made absurd. I believed I may have been going too far with it and gave it to Burin to check over. He read it, and put it upon the board himself.

For a time this was the end of it. Myon, his home, had exiled him. Concord had spurned him for his savagery. Cordor and Bendir had exiled him. Brogendenstein and Guldorand disliked him immensely.

Then Burin permitted him to return to the Heartwood. I opposed this - and, honestly, I still do. Buppi began a campaign of apologising to me in his unique ways. He placed dead animals at my door. He wrote letters of apology. He committed himself to trying to change his ways. After a time I no longer held a grudge against him, but as some may attest to I've long held that he shouldn't have had his banishment lifted.

Then there's the first instance of Zelos involving himself with us. He demanded Buppi be turned over to him, or he would burn down the forest. Burin initially decided to banish Buppi for this. I opposed this adamantly. Burin's intention was to protect the forest by excluding Buppi. I saw this as abandoning Buppi and kowtowing to our enemies. Despite my stance on Buppi, he was a part of the Heartwood Grove, and he was family. To abandon family to fiendish, torturing, slavetaking animators and beasts wasn't just immoral, it was unforgivable. Zelos is an enemy. Absolutely so. We must not bend the knee to those who would see us broken, driven and devoured, especially not in such a cowardly way as to abandon another to such a fate.

Burin agreed with me. He showed remorse for even considering such a notion. He proceeded to head down into the Underdark, despite my insistence he not, and beseech Zelos to take him instead. Words cannot describe how foolish this was. Brave, absolutely, but foolish. Fortunately Zelos didn't take him up on this offer, and appeared to back down from his hunt for Buppi out of respect. I would like to reiterate; do not do this. Do not supplicate yourself towards people who quite literally keep people as chattel. Do not allow yourself to be vulnerable to people who are so disgustingly perverse. You may think you're being brave, or heroic. You're not. People care about you. People will suffer for your attempt at valiance. Some may fight to liberate you. Some may die to liberate you. I would.

Which leads us to the much more recent. Firstly, as I alluded to before, I was told that Buppi was once a member of the Harpers. Whether or not this is true I'm unsure. What I can say is that the series of events that played our as a result of the murder of Rhaeg by the Harpers fits in with what I know to be factual regarding them. To clarify, I do not believe that Buppi had a hand in Rhaeg's death. He certainly would have liked to, given the hostility they shared, but I have little reason to believe he played a direct part in it.

As a result of Rhaeg's murder, Jacetuhn admitted himself to be a member of the Harpers (which I did not know or expect, but which explained a number of adjacent incidents I was aware of). He unveiled the leader of the Harpers, and inferred that Rhaeg was killed for informing others that Buppi was involved in their activities at some stage. Many have critiqued Jacetuhn for a myriad of reasons. I abhor the concept of the Harpers, as I believe any organisation that designates its purpose as covertly eliminating, manipulating and deceiving what it deems to be foul forces, without any public oversight or critique, is in fact simply extolling fascism and tyranny with the egoism afforded to those who believe themselves justified. No good deed done in the dark maintains its luster when brought to light.

Few could have predicted just how terribly this would go, so I don't resent Jacetuhn. I do, however, resent, abhor and despise the Dread Zhentarim who saw fit to torture and murder innocent children to pursue those thought related to the Harpers. As a result of Denny Walvish deciding to misinform a Dreadlord in order to have them target his enemies, that includes myself and John (who knows less than me about the Harpers, for the record). A young child and her family in Bendir were killed in pursuit of Buppi. A small army of Zhentarim were sent to try and capture-or-kill me. Assaults and sieges have been ongoing since. I bring this incident up because, squarely, myself and Buppi are in the same predicament. We're both targets of a secretive military group which has shown a tendency towards extreme barbarism with few scruples regarding collateral damage.

The other recent incident is why I've written this. After Buppi felled a Cyricist, Zelos has once again raided the Forest in pursuit of revenge. After defeating us, they made it clear that these attacks will continue until Buppi is handed over to them. This has happened shortly after the Archdruid of Dragonstone, Adilshasa, died in a ritual to appease dryads, in which those of the Dragonstone - including Buppi - hold Burin accountable for the death. Burin utilised the Dragonflame to attempt to bring about the rite. Onlookers believe that Burin may have used inordinate force, and by this misjudgement Adilshasa was lost. Others believe that the ritual was likely to go askew regardless and that Burin's Dragonflame had no bearing on the escalation towards Adilshasa's death.

Suffice to say, this has become an era of unmitigated hostility. I'm omitting the various other factors in play at this time to focus on the ones solely involving Buppi and the Heartwood's relationship that I believe myself to be suitable informed about, but the island is in peril. We are in turmoil. We are in mourning. We are in the throes of tragedy.

Burin, advised by Thicket (and, honesty, history), have come to the conclusion that the solution is to banish Buppi. I disagree adamantly. The death of Adilshasa has left the Dragonstone Grove bereft, and Burin's tact has inspired great ire towards the Heartwood.

As much as we may try to create pomp from poetry and pretense, we cannot let that be a barrier to avoid dealing with the pain we see each other going through. In times of mourning, we should be the comforting touch that brings relief. We should be the gentle embrace. We should be the wisdom needed - for in our lives there will be sorrow, but for but your bond with one another we may endure. It is this love we need now. We must not let anything overshadow that. Our devotion to the Balance is what makes us Of Nature. Our compassion is what makes us family.

Buppi will not come back to the Heartwood. He's been hurt and thrown aside too often, too easily, and I cannot fault his lack of trust in us now. He has done wrong in the past. But as time marches on, I have seen the man improve. He has been corrected and guided by those around him, and right now he needs that more than he perhaps ever may have before. I will be there for him. I don't anticipate many will be besides me on this matter.

It is not just for Buppi that we must reconsider our actions, for it is the Dragonstone that aches right now. We cannot - must not - abandon them to their agony. They will see us as callous, cruel and inconsiderate. We must rectify that. For it is foul that we may have put a wedge between us and our kin.

The island looks on. The Balance looks on. Life looks on. I will not stand idle and allow such dissonance to disrupt the harmony of life. This is my way.

- Tilly.

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