Too Young to Retire

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin says, "There's a campfire over there, on the horizon, toward the mountains. Clams to Pine Vine that's the group we're following. We're getting close. Tomorrow, let's try to catch up to them."

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Character Data

Merindell:
Bracers: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Greaves: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Sheldon:
Bracers: 20 - 3 = 17 - 11 = 6

Spoiler: Collections

Animal:
Jackal Hides: 8: coverage 320%, hindrance 6/10%, deflect 10, soak 4
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Tails: 8: (Strength +3 (Academic only))
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}

Mineral:
Coal: 1 brick, {heat x2}
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}

Plant:
Soothe Leaf: 1 measure: {+ Mind x2}
Flower: 1 measure: ?

Merin says, "There's a campfire over there... Tomorrow, let's try to catch up to them."

Sheldon brushes off his shoulders and nods, twice. "Agreed."

Finding the enemies' campsite takes a few hours. After surveying the area for a few minutes, it is decided that its former occupants had departed more northward, seemingly headed for a wedged crevice between the two closest peaks. The strides of the prints confirm that those men had slowed. Some doodles at the edge of camp indicate that the child is well and probably not under duress, a good sign.

Merindell and Sheldon agree to take to jogging, both able to do so with little noise. Within two more hours of intermittent quickened travel, the two men hear voices off to their right and divert to intercept. The two men look at one another in surprise as the interception was not achieved quickly enough. Other voices are heard, female voices. The language is the same.

Boldly and angry, the two men separate themselves and move at the apparent encampment. Merindell recognizes the people. They are Evipau and apparently he and Sheldon have discovered something known but never before reported by other explorers, a camp women. One of the men ushers the captured child to one of the women, who seems to be trying to offer the girl, kindness, something else unknown in the Evipau.

At a word from one of the other women, who suddenly discovered the observers, the members of the war party turn to charge. The woman who received the child yells something in Evipau. The men halt, confused. The woman stands and moves slowly toward the edge of camp, She speaks to the men who begin to turn back from confrontation. With the warriors behind her, she gestures a halting sign toward the two men, seemingly wanting no conflict.

An awkward two seconds pass and the woman speaks in Ansylin. "Please. Take the girl. I can sense that you two could kill us all without difficulty. I cannot have children. Despite our love for war, our men do not harm us or children. She was a gift for me. I did not ask for this, but I would have accepted her graciously."

She then says in Centrin and in Amiradthan, "Please do not kill us all. I can order the men to not hunt in the area where the girl was taken."

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin nods in agreement, speaking in Ansylin, "Yes, I believe you. Your people killed my parents, but spared me, for the same reason, many years ago, while I was still a child. We have been tasked to return the girl. We are, as you have surmised, warriors, but we gain no pleasure from killing; we kill only when it is necessary. So we will leave you in peace, as long as you keep your word not to return to that area, which is known to its inhabitants as Bridgetown."

Merin pauses, and then asks, "How is it that you speak our tongue so fluently? And also the tongue of my native tribe? I am simply curious. Additionally, most of the people where I am from see your tribe as savage, because you attack without warning or provocation. But it is apparent, by your desire to accept the child, that there is kindness in your heart. Do your people ever interact with outsiders? Trading relationships, social alliances, etc.? I want to understand the ways of your people."

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Character Data

Merindell:
Bracers: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Greaves: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Sheldon:
Bracers: 20 - 3 = 17 - 11 = 6

Spoiler: Collections

Animal:
Jackal Hides: 8: coverage 320%, hindrance 6/10%, deflect 10, soak 4
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Tails: 8: (Strength +3 (Academic only))
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}

Mineral:
Coal: 1 brick, {heat x2}
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}

Plant:
Soothe Leaf: 1 measure: {+ Mind x2}
Flower: 1 measure: ?

Merin nods in agreement, speaking in Ansylin, "Yes, I believe you..."

Merin pauses, and then asks, "How is it that you speak our tongue so fluently and also the tongue of my native tribe??"

She first speaks to her people, who quit staring or posturing, in the case of the warriors, and begin to do other things. "It is difficult to explain. I can listen to the wind. Your voices have been heard by something, somewhere, as has mine. I do not speak this language. I do not know its name or its people, but I know its people are not you. It is a common language between you two. I very rarely see anyone outside of my own people."

"... most of the people where I am from see your tribe as savage... But... is kindness in your heart."

"It is not for me to change the nature of my people, but we are not so mindless as the Kaalatala, the tall, dark, Faethrins. We do not eat the flesh of people as the psychotic Katalians. It is to the honor of our men to find challenge in battle, not butchery. It is to their respect within all the tribe to their care and gifting of the women. The gift of a child to a childless one is a great offer, despite the violence it may have caused, elsewhere."

"Do your people... I want to understand..."

She shakes her head. "We, the clan of women and young children, are vulnerable. Several war parties will know of our encampment and may visit us, giving gifts in return for our favor. Boys of a right age will depart. We remain hidden from all others. We will leave this place and find another, now. I thank you for your charity."

Merindell and Sheldon are astounded at their newly acquired knowledge. The girl gives no trouble to leave with the men and efficient journey is made to return to Bridgetown, where the mother and townspeople in general are overjoyed at the recovery.

OOC: Each character receives 6 DP.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin will spend a day or two in Bridgetown, just relaxing, and foraging nearby. He will also visit the tavern, to see if he can pick up any rumors of places or events of interest. He remembers the early days in Southroad Fair, when such rumors led to great adventures and new discoveries.

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Character Data

Merindell:
Bracers: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Greaves: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Sheldon:
Bracers: 20 - 3 = 17 - 11 = 6

Spoiler: Collections

Animal:
Jackal Hides: 8: coverage 320%, hindrance 6/10%, deflect 10, soak 4
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Tails: 8: (Strength +3 (Academic only))
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}

Mineral:
Coal: 1 brick, {heat x2}
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}

Plant:
Soothe Leaf: 1 measure: {+ Mind x2}
Flower: 1 measure: ?

Merin... foraging nearby...

Sheldon much enjoys being out and about the country. "That turned out to be quite an intriguing adventure. I could never have expected to find such a master Diviner among such a savage, indigenous tribe."

Sheldon suggests following the river upstream so that they may looks for minerals and ores as well as herbs.

Spoiler: Prospecting

ecology + clarity + d100
Merindell: 31 + 32 + 50 = 113
Sheldon: 60 + 42 + 50 = 152

Bridgetown is considerably new and still expanding, being less than a year old. The tavern is basically the only current business. Doing a little prospecting, the differences in the wayline sensitivity of the two men becomes much more pronounced. While Merindell is the stronger Bender, Sheldon is the more proficient Diviner. More items are located than are deemed useful, as the two men have gained enough in power and collected more powerful items that lesser items can be ignored. During the course of the day, Merindell collects 5 pieces of slate to augment the manipulation of mechanical waylines. Sheldon collects no stones. Along a shallow spot in the stream, Sheldon pokes around and finds an ingot of Chromium, which he offers to Merin, explaining that it can be used to aid in augmenting strength by actively bending not just passive enhancement. Sheldon does not find any mystical plants he wants, but Merin locates 5 measures of fire weed, which he separates into different pouches.

Later at the tavern while nothing special is happening Sheldon says, "We should head back to Southroad Fair and buy some replacements for our bracers and your greaves. We also have those jackal hides we need to off load. What say you?"

OOC: Each character receives 3 DP. Merindell improves 1% in Centrin, Sheldon improves 1% in Amiradthan.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin nods, "I'm all for that. Let's get some sleep and leave at dawn."

On the way to Southroad Fair, Merin will continue to prospect and hunt as he travels; he will also continue his attempts at mapping, hoping to become better and better as he gains more practice. Lastly, he will pass the time by telling Sheldon jokes in his native tongue of Amiradthan. He figures that knowing complex concepts like jokes will lend to a greater understanding of the language, by allowing Sheldon to master the subtle nuances.

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Character Data

Merindell:
Bracers: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Greaves: ruined (this needs to be removed from record)
Sheldon:
Bracers: 20 - 3 = 17 - 11 = 6

Spoiler: Collections

Animal:
Jackal Hides: 8: coverage 320%, hindrance 6/10%, deflect 10, soak 4
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Tails: 8: (Strength +3 (Academic only))
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}

Mineral:
Coal: 1 brick, {heat x2}
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}

Plant:
Soothe Leaf: 1 measure: {+ Mind x2}
Flower: 1 measure: ?

... Merin will continue to prospect and hunt... native tongue of Amiradthan...

After the first day, Merin decides that the well traveled road is not likely to yield any return on prospecting. Even all of the former Seekers have gone this way before and any random item near the road should have long since been collected. Hunting, however, is still fruitful, as most of the countryside is still untamed and animals are free to travel as they please.

Once in Southroad Fair, the two men are greeted warmly, as expected. Nothing seems amiss, in fact, the town seems to be prospering. Swift Raven and Fallen Leaf gladly trade for the uncommon jackal hides, intently listening to the story of how the pack had become bloodthirsty man killers. During the tale, the expert leather workers take measurements and negotiate costs for new bracers for Sheldon and new bracers and greaves for Merindell, manufactured from some of the very jackal hide the two brought in. It takes two days to complete all items, as the pieces are taken to Maeli to be lacquered before they are assembled.

OOC: I see no need in keeping track of trivial monies of experienced characters. Paranormal, Jackal bracers and greaves: coverage 20%, hinder 6, deflect 16, soak 7

As wanderlust sets in upon Sheldon, once again, he says to Merin, "We have covered much of the South. Do you want to head north again or do you want to pay Tor a visit over in Bergbaulager?"

OOC: Each character receives 3 DP. Merindell improves in Centrin by 1% and Sheldon improves in Amiradthan by 1%.

 

[Tellerian Hawke]

Merin says, "I've always wanted to see the Dragon's Claw Forest. The journey there should take some time, and we are likely to have many unusual adventures along the way."

 

[MacConnell]

Spoiler: Character Data

Merindell: full health
Sheldon: full health

Spoiler: Collections

Animal:
Jackal Canines: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Dew Claws: 8 pair: (Strength +3)
Jackal Tails: 8: (Strength +3 (Academic only))
Jackal Hearts: 8: {+strength x 3, +athleticism x 3}

Mineral:
Coal: 1 brick, {heat x2}
Slickstone: 1: {- heat x2}

Plant:

"To the far north it is."

Travel is easy through the forest, but nothing remains peaceable for long out in the wilds. Just as the forest is thinning to give way to the Central Plains, a flock of vultures spooks at the approach of the two men. The vultures had been feeding upon the remains of some recently slaughtered travelers, still laying in the road. Sheldon makes a dour expression and reaches up wit his left hand to pull the hair back from his face. He looks to Merindell and shakes his head in disgust.

OOC: Each character receives 3 DP.