He cracks a smile. "No, I just wanted to see your face." To the gnome: "What's this whole Absolute thing, from the perspective of someone who's been kidnapped by them? I'm finding myself very bereft of details for all my posturing."

"Haven't the foggiest. They all seem like a bunch of crazed bastards, to me. ... I suppose there is one odd thing, though. They're strangely inclusive. There'd been talk of feeding me to their ogres, or some drow's pet spiders. I don't know many drow, but the ones I do would usually rather chew their own arms off than work with the likes of goblins."

"Really, now. That is most interesting, thank you.

"Ah, and we haven't introduced ourselves, so rude of us! I'm Astarion, and these lovely ladies with me are Shadowheart, Lae'zel, and Ivetrielle."

"Barcus Wroot, at your service," he says, giving a little bow.

"What brings you out here? This isn't exactly a, uh, well loved trading route..."

"Well, my friend's gone missing, and I intend to find him."

Ooh another side quest he is not a doe-eyed adventurer anymore and he does not want to jump at every side quest that appears.

"Good luck finding your friend, then."

"Thanks. I'll likely need it, with how my luck's gone so far. Could I trouble you to walk me out of town so that those odious cretins don't think I'm property going spare? Again?"

"Oh, sure, why not, we were on our way out anyway."

"Finally."

"Much appreciated."

Ivy totally wants to take the sidequest bait but she's being very good and is not going to ask him about his friend or where he's going at ALL, she is SO strong.

"Be careful when looking for him, all right? Goblins are not the worst things you can find around here," she does warn, but, yep this is a grownup who can risk his life as he pleases.

"Yes, yes. But the odds of being captured by something again are much lower now, since I've already gotten that out of the way!"

...

Yeah he's totally going to die, isn't he. Well. Grownup who can risk his life as he pleases.

"That's just tempting Tymora, you know," he says conversationally once they've walked Barcus out of the village. "I'm sure She could've been willing to go along with it but now that he's said it he's doomed."

"Yyyyyyep," agrees Ivetrielle. "He is absolutely going to die out there. But we are not his nannies, so." She shrugs. "On to party infiltration and possibly poisoning?"

"Indeed..." He pauses and looks at Shadowheart. "...are you feeling unwell, dear?"

She stopped paying attention to them a while ago and has been staring at a broken down statue with a frown on her face. When Astarion calls her attention she starts and then winces and pulls her right hand close to her chest.

"... Um? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine," she says, lowering her hand.

"No, dear, a glowing hand wound that attacks you when you look at a broken down statue of Selûne does not quite sound like you're fine."

"I said I'm fine. Let's go."

And she starts to walk, leading the way towards the far exit of the village.

Well, that's concerning, but. ... Shadowheart seems incredibly unwilling to answer questions about it. Fortunately, Ivetrielle is not Astarion, who is admittedly the nosiest member of their adventuring party. This might mean she can offer aid without seeming like she's barreling head first into someone else's business.

"Let us know if there's anything we can do to help?" she offers, jogging to catch up with the cleric.

"Mm."

That's about what she was expecting, really. But it's important to have offered, and hopefully Shadowheart appreciates it. She'll leave it be.