Traffic

Traffic was an older Human originating from The Dourland. While not much was known about him, he appeared to be involved in some way with the explosion of Solam hitting the black markets of the Gryusch Wilds. While he himself stated mixed feelings on the substance, he got himself hopelessly addicted to it at some point.

## Appearance and Personality

Traffic was an older man, with wrinkles on his face, and white hair on his head and chin. He wore a moderately exorbitant black and grey tunic, indicating he was not struggling for gold. He was somewhat thin, and average height. His accent was a giveaway that he originated from The Dourland, which was formerly the capital of Human society before the Formea Wyrm Crisis. Wonder claimed his accent was funny because he survived ingesting a Formea Wyrm, somehow.

Being a merchant, Traffic was an expressive, loud man who specialized in reading his customers. He was an expert liar, manipulator, and scammer who had been on Widerain's bad side for some time for unknown reasons. He was a little confrontational and perverse on occasion, but had shown a tremendous amount of inner strength, able to keep moving despite multiple puncture wounds to his back and limbs. He tried to be polite and cautious due to his field, but sometimes admitted to more than he should have.

## Story

Though it is difficult to tell what Traffic was truthful about, it is overwhelming likely Traffic did indeed flee from The Dourland at some point in the past. From there, he probably began work as an underworld dealer of drugs and stolen goods, rotating his focus between Grajita and Widerain. He made contact with Gracious at some point in the past, but the extent of their relationship is not currently known.

Traffic was first encountered near the crossroad north of Widerain, where he was lingering on the road. Wonder, taking caution not to have the Foreckaw spotted so close to Widerain, met with him, trying to be friendly in an attempt to get him to move. She ended up legitimately enjoying his company, and eventually he agreed to head back to Widerain to convince local merchants to stop selling Solam, as Wonder informed him it was made by the Canickaw, and was wary of their intentions with it. Traffic was secretly already aware who made it, and the Solam he was carrying was likely his own personal stash.

It is unknown what business he got involved in the following day, but the next time he was seen, he and Romiu were fleeing from two armed Widerain Watchmen. Feyule, feeling an intense motivation to protect Romiu, leapt out to their defense, with Wonder's group following suite. Scaring off the Watchmen was enough, and Traffic offered his thanks, unconcerned with any prejudice towards the Foreckaw who helped save him.

With the adrenaline of the chase subsiding, Traffic's wounds began to slow him down considerably, and instead of resting on the road, the group found a small grove to rest in to avoid sight. After dealing with some Plunge Snayks, everyone could get off their feet, and think about how to get inside Grajita. Traffic told Wonder about an old fence acquaintance of his named Gracious. Before Wonder left to visit Gracious, the group was attacked by a pair of Mint Couriers.

Traffic presumably spent the day resting, trying not to move and keep his wounds from reopening. Once Wonder returned later that night, he was clearly acting different. Traffic insisted his wounds were just infected, but Wonder was suspicious, eventually getting Romiu to feverishly admit it was a Solam withdrawal, and that they needed to hurry to treat it.

Once they all arrived at Gracious' farmhouse together, Cove took Traffic to the spare beds and treated his wounds immediately, where he would stay for the rest of the night. It was there, he shamefully rejected Romiu's earlier claims of being hooked on Solam, and pressured Cove to dump whatever vials of it he had remaining. Cove reluctantly agreed, and left Traffic to recover. It was at some point during that day, a Groann was birthed from the Solam Burst on Traffic's heart. This birth was so fierce, even Uocali could sense the surge of Pulse from Traffic's body from quite some distance away, and it inevitably lead to the Solam Burst Crisis within Grajita.

The Groann accessed Traffic's memories, and recalled his meeting with Feyule, though it could not precisely remember her name. It conversed briefly with Cove, asking for Feyule's location. This lead the Goann-possessed Traffic to shamble into the town at the tail end of the commotion within the walls, greeting Wonder's group with what little information it managed to obtain through Traffic. Having lost his accent, speaking primarily to Feyule, and constantly badgering her for her name, the Groann was discovered and outed by Uocali, who had been silently observing with morbid interest, knowing it would seek he or Feyule. By this point, Wonder concluded, Traffic was already dead.

After a short battle with the tired group, only Feyule remained standing, defiant in her refusal to part with her name to the Groann. This finally prompted Uocali to take action, sneaking in close with his Erasure in order to cover the Groann with a bloody Pulse. Two direct hits with the attack was enough to utterly annihilate the Groann which possessed Traffic. Uocali had later noted this was lucky, since that meant the Groann was a rather weak one.

## Quotes

*"Lose words like that'd sink us quicker'n that armor 'o yours at sea, girlie."*

*"'ll take a chat from a mangled journeyman o'er a sparkled up grindstone any time."*