Maka's proficiency in both Maldrog and Shimadow is a mere 1%.
Maka's proficiency in Markidian is 72%
Maka's only fluency is Rheini, which of course, is 100%.
So you're saying I should make his Maldrog 50%?
Ok, that's fine.
I will change it on his sheet. (Maka is the last character I have who is still maintained here on ENWorld, rather than a Google Docs file.)
Maka says, in Maldrog, to Vittero: "Agreed. This practice must be stopped. Let's talk to her, and see how deep the indoctrination goes. Perhaps she could be convinced to turn away from it? We shall see. Let's get the ball rolling..."
Maka says, in Markidian: "Girl, can you tell us your name? And can you tell us at what age you began your training?"
Taylar shrugs and says in Maldrog, "Last time I tried to reason with these religious zealots I was thrown in jail, so I do not know what to say or do. I will say nothing to this woman, who is as capable of killing us as an adult man, but I will keep watch in case some more of her friends come by to kill us for not believing what they do."
He will keep his bludgeons in hand and keep watch to see if anyone else comes by.
Adisakti makes a silly noise with his mouth and tongue, like some toddler would do when in disagreement. He responds in Maldrog, "I am not really for talking either, but I think this war is altering your memory, Taylar. There were not even any of these fools around when we were arrested for disorderly conduct. The only other time we tried to talk was to that group with that want-to-be priest. Vittero still has his ledger. Let's let our more diplomatic members have a go."
Taylar calmly replies in Maldrog to Adisakti, "And what was our 'disorderly conduct' about? The fact that I disagreed with these dawn worshippers enough to publicly display the uniform of one of their butchers. Those in the Outpost, and those here, I count them in the same group, despite their protests of innocence. Talk all you want, but I know my place in this world."
Listening to his comrades, Raven Elk follows behind Vittero and ruffles through pockets and belt pouches for anything unique or mundane. His purpose is not just to pilfer coin, though that could be beneficial, he is looking for anything that connects them. An insignia, a token, a medallion, a piece of jewelry, whatever...because, maybe there could be an identifier to a specific person, a middleman, as Vittero put it.
Acolyte Avery's Ledger
Slate Boulder: 76 stones worth, East Pass
Tin Vein: 43 stones worth, East Pass
Zinc Vein: 61 ingots worth, 7 days north East Pass
Keep of the Rising Sun
Adisakti crinkles his forehead, open his mouth for second as if to respond, then shrugs his left shoulder and shakes his head. He moves about the women, helping to collecting their belongings.
The party collects 87 loose marks, 10 stranded bows, 75 halarin tipped arrows, and 10 halarin carving knives. They carried no talismans or trinkets.
Like Adisakti, Vittero initiates a motion as if he would respond but changes his mind. Even though all of the boys were born and/or were raised in Outpost, the particulars of the local religion seem to be important only to Vittero, and this, he realizes, was only recently.
The girl, as may have expected, balks at the simple questions from Maka. "You can try to make me talk."
In that defining moment that sets the course of chosen destiny for an individual, Vittero makes one such decision. "I am an understudy Priest of Dawn. You are called the Daughters of Dawn, but that symbol on your armor is for Dusk. Someone is promoting a war here, at all of our expenses. You verify the symbol in Outpost at the Temple of Dawn. We are not going to put you to question and we should not remain here. Further conflict is sure to come."
In what may come as a surprise, Vittero renders aid to the the enemy soldiers as well as his friends, accepting any help offered. He takes the one, most able, girl with him to cut sticks for litters. Though significantly injured, the incapacitated girls, once recovered enough to move, carry their fallen and everyone returns to the burned remains of the Pelimonra village.
The girls are directed to sit in the center of town, what might have once been the center. The leader of the women is one of the slain. As is typical of military training, the second in command identifies herself and says that their training began at the start of adolescence, at 13 cycles for her. It varies some but 13 is the most common.
Vittero inquires as to how they normally treat their fallen. Lucein, the 2nd in command, explains that they are burned on a pyre in honor of the service and tribute to the Lord of the Day; and that the fires are not lit, the pyres spontaneously combust after a ritual prayer. Vittero discusses his idea of gaining trust, quietly, with the others before speaking the ritual aloud and pointing at the pyre of the former leader, which then ignites in flame. To prove a point that favor has nothing to do with being Markidian, Vittero convinces Maka to do the same thing, using his own words in his own language, for the next in rank. All of the Outliers are fully aware that while the ritual may be necessary for those girls to do so, it is the manipulation of thermal waylines that ignites the fire.
Once the four pyres begin to die down, Vittero speaks to the girls but then includes his friends as he is making a decision. "To us, this destruction of a peaceful village and all of its people is a travesty of butchery. The Divine Praetor, himself, has declared that students will be sent to Outpost to the Priest of Dawn for training and that tributes will be established in area village, not that villages are to be attacked."
"I have decided to remain here to be part of rebuilding this village, calling it Refuge. I think that we... well I guess that we will no longer include me, need to look into who made that armor on those girls. Even if it proves to be a bad decision, I intend to free these girls under the guarantee that they will first go to Outpost."
It is learned that the armor was originally made in the village across the bay, by commission. Reaching this village would require taking a boat from West Cove or walking back to Outpost where the river can be crossed and traveling down the other side.
OOC:
State any further inquiry or desire regarding the girls. Any idea on a course of action and any immediate intention. Each character receives 5 DP.
True to his word, Taylar does not speak to the women, but neither is he cruel or indifferent. He assists the group in guarding and caring for these prisoners.
I have decided to remain here to be part of rebuilding this village, calling it Refuge
Taylar nods and says in Maldrog, "This is a brave thing you are doing. We shall investigate the armor maker, but first we should see that you are properly set up here in Refuge. That will put some time between us and the battle site anyway."
Taylar searches the ruined village, this time looking for anything that can help his friend survive in this burned out place. He will help with making sure wherever Vittero plans to sleep is structurally sound and has a good roof.
I intend to free these girls under the guarantee that they will first go to Outpost
After Vittero is comfortably set up in Refuge, he says in Markidian so the women will understand, "It would be safer to travel around rather than find a boat to use for crossing. We can escort these women to Outpost, and tell your father of your plans here in Refuge."
Maka says, in Markidian, "I too, tire of the senseless fighting and killing, despite the fact that my skill as a warrior has become quite formidable. In the old days, my people valued valor in combat, but that was because wars were few, and what conflicts that did arise had meaning and honor on both sides. But the fighting recently has not been like that. All I see is deceit and trickery. This conflict is not about honor, not about believing in an ideology; it's about obtaining power at any cost. I will help escort these girls to The Outpost, and afterwards, I shall return here, to Refuge. Viterro should not be left here alone. I feel the spirits of my ancestors calling me to help him in this endeavor. I shall help him rebuild this village."
OOC:
Since this is the least active campaign that I'm playing in, I am retiring Maka, or at least parking him, for the time being. Maybe not forever, we'll see. But having one less game to worry about will allow me to focus more on the others that I'm involved in.
Taylar replies, in Markidian, "You are right that this conflict is not about honor. Honor and valor are fantastical elaborations that warriors tell to women and children after the fact. In this way they can make themselves out to be braver than they feel, and attempt to wash the memories of blood and fury from their minds. Real combat is about survival, because only those that make it home get to tell the stories."
"I am not always right. My anger and pride cause me to make mistakes, but I am not mistaken that if this enemy is not opposed now, then they will have such power that no one can stop them. Then they will come here and demand that you bow to their will, or they will burn this village again. I will continue to fight against these religious zealots, and after I find a home and raise a family, I will tell them what an 'honorable' conflict it was."
Adisakti makes noise between a laugh and a snort, then states in Shimadow, "Tha gernael kai tha echei lipos!"
"You two are going to grow old and fat." ...speaking of Vittero and Maka
The expression on his face then dramatically changes and he, for once, puts away his residual childishness. He speaks in Maldrog, gesturing with a cupped hand, palm toward himself, rather than in an accusatory manner.
"Conflict and war are about desire. The motivation is acquisition and / or control. It is the very fact these acts of violence are being conducted by proxy, using deceit, that makes our resistance noble and just. It is others who decide if our reputation from the endeavor brings us honor or valor or infamy, not the standards we place on ourselves. Yes, those very people who anger me because they are too timid or lazy to fight."
"The ideology that motivates us may be unique to each of us, but championing the cause should unite us. We are friends. We should offer no dispersions to our differences, for that would make us like our unseen enemy. I fight because I am angry. I am angry because my father is a kicking horse (colloquialism for a bully). I am angry for the deceit. I am angry because the populace is blind and deaf, but I say our cause is just. If we lose this war, no ideology will matter. We will be dead and forgotten."
"Forget the girls, because Vittero identified himself as an understudy priest, I think he can command them. I do not know or care about all that hierarchy. I say we let the girls leave on their own, help Vittero and Maka here for a day, then the three of us swim the river right here. It is, what, 200 strides across? I think I could swim that in 20 minutes, 30 tops if the current is stronger than I perceive, which would only carry us downstream, the direction we are going, anyway."
