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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Nonlethal Force" data-source="post: 3460299" data-attributes="member: 35788">The party was able to ride into Huetown and arrive at Rhema’s father’s villa in the late afternoon.  They had stopped at a few local merchants in Huetown to pick up some food in addition to a few other building supplies that might be needed over the course of the next few days.  As they turned off of the road and began to walk their horses up the long dusty path that lead to the site of the old villa, they could see Iasho walking steadily towards them.  In a few minutes they dismounted from their horses and greeted Iasho with smiles and hugs.  Iasho replied with an equally warm welcome.The elderly man spoke with a strong voice.  “Your trip was successful, I see!  Even if it was not successful in gathering the information it was surely successful with regard to the bounty with which you have returned to us!”Rhema smiled proudly, allowing her lips to part as she beamed under her father’s attention.  “Our trip was good on all fronts, if not a bit strange.  We brought the food and supplies out of celebration.  We figured the workers could use a good hearty meal once the sun goes down tonight.  If we start right away, we can get the pit smoking and the meat cooking in under an hour!”Semeion smiled.  “Rhema, I think we can manage to do it quicker than just under an hour.  Between the matches that Ischarus bought and a few other resources, we can have the meat cooking in far less time than that, don’t you think?”Iasho grinned at the playfulness of the foursome.  By all appearances they seemed to be enjoying themselves.  In truth, they had come a long way both spiritually and emotionally in their journey back to Huetown.  They decided that in spite of the delays, it might be best to wait a full day before initiating the Phoenix command.  By waiting until noon tomorrow, they would give Brandt an opportunity to hear the details without having to worry about countermanding the Phoenix command through speech.  Brandt might be able to accomplish some research and at least help them narrow down the various possibilities which the Phoenix command might bring about.Rhema turned back to look at Semeion, and the memories from last summer’s battle flooded back into her mind.  “Oh, I think I know what you mean.”  Her eyes glinted with a slight twinkle.  She hadn’t needed to use her powers for a few days and it would feel good to exercise the mental muscles once more.The party continued on foot until they reached the remains of the former villa.  Ischarus gathered up some of the supplies that they had purchased and brought back with them and guided Elistra to the opposite side of the ruined villa.  He found the undamaged pit in the ground that had served the villa in cooking food for many years.  With luck, it would continue to serve the villa for years to come.Ischarus knelt down to the ground and pulled loose dirt away and into a small pile.  Just underneath the surface of the ground he found two metal handles within a cooking pit.  He pulled upwards hard in a jerking motion and the scraping of metal upon metal rang across the length of the villa’s plowed fields.  Many of the workers who were in the process of tending the fields and cutting trees to use in the construction of the villa turned in recognition of the sound.  Many of them applauded briefly at the realization that the sound would mean a healthy meal of smoked meat for dinner.Ischarus lifted the handles, bringing the large metal smoking oven to the surface.  He slid his hand across the top of the oven until his fingers caught on a lip.  The oven lid slid along the remainder of the top and presented an opening in which to arrange the meat.  Once the oven was opened, Ischarus turned and laid along the ground in order to reach into the three foot deep pit.  He easily lifted a dozen eight inch diameter volcanic stones to the surface.Rhema brought Shauvry to stand alongside Elistra and released the reigns.  She smiled as her husband had struggled to lift the heavy oven out of the ground and onto the surface.  “If you are going to stock the meat, I’ll start working on the fire.”Ischarus nodded and smiled.  He knew that Rhema was no pyromaniac, but he also knew that she enjoyed playing with fire from time to time and there was no better fire starter than his wife.  Rhema left his side and gathered a small stockpile of wood and kindling.  It didn’t take her more than a minute to stack the wood in the small chamber so that a fire could take.Rhema looked pleased when she finished with her work.  “Alright, the wood is ready.  Care to light a match for me?”Ischarus reached into a pocket fastened to the belt which held his scabbard.  He pulled out a small wooden box and slid the top of the box open.  The box opened with a click and Ischarus removed a single match.  He winked to Rhema as he struck the match along a gray striking plate glued to the wooden side of the box.As the match flared into flame, Rhema focused her eyes upon its center.  The yellow flame engulfed the round end of the wooden match.  As Rhema focused on the flame, she mentally called the flame away from the wood that fueled its flickering.  Even as the flame left the wood it did not diminish in intensity.  The flame leapt magically through the air as Rhema’s mind sustained its essence.Rhema used her mind to move the flame down into the pit until it passed into the midst of the kindling and wood that she had stacked at the bottom of the pit.  She held the flame in place with her mind until the kindling began to smolder and smoke.  An instant later the kindling burst into flame.  Rhema moved the flame from the match to several secondary locations in order to catch the wood in the underground oven on fire faster than normal.  In only a matter of minutes the wood in the bottom of the oven blazed so high that the flames licked the top edge of the three foot pit.Rhema was pleased with the ease that the fire caught.  “There now, give the fire a few more minutes to burn the wood into ashes and then throw the stones upon the ground.”Ischarus knew the routine well enough to roll his eyes at the instructions of his wife.  “I’ve cooked many meals in this pit.  I know how to do it!”Rhema snickered and replied with a tease in her voice.  “Of course, dear.”Ischarus grabbed a four foot metal rod that rested comfortably against a pile of rubble from the villa and waited a few more minutes.  “I do believe that we’ve let it burn quite long enough now.”  Ischarus thrust the end of the rod into the burned wood and many of the pieces broke apart as the ash within crumbled.  Ischarus peered into the bottom of the pit and smiled as red hot embers shimmered back.  “I think the embers are ready for the stones now.”Rhema lifted one of the volcanic rocks from where Ischarus had stacked them earlier.  She handed them one by one to her husband, who gently sat them upon the red hot embers.  He watched for a moment once all the stones had been replaced inside the pit.Rhema stood over him and spoke confidently.  “Well, I think we’ve done it once again.  Now, I’ll watch the fire while you stack the meat into the oven with the hickory chips.”Ischarus nodded.  He reached into Elistra’s saddlebag and pulled out a small bundle of wet towels.  With a few simple strokes of his hand he unraveled the wet wrappings.  Several small well moistened chips of hickory sat inside the bundle.  Ischarus smiled as he arranged the chips in the bottom of the smoking oven.Semeion and Charis led Thana and Abijou around the side of the burned down villa once they saw that the fire had caught and the oven was ready to be filled.  They bid Iasho goodbye with a promise to have dinner ready shortly after the sun set.  Once they had joined Ischarus and Charis on the far side of the villa, they began to untie the fowl and large cuts of beef that they had purchased at the market.  Ischarus received the meat and arranged it in the oven, making sure that the hickory chips remained uncovered so that the smoke would penetrate the entire oven.  Once he was pleased with how the meat was arranged, he slid the oven door lid closed and made sure it was tight.  “Don’t want any dirt to get in and spoil the meat, do we?  Charis, would you mind giving me a hand to put the oven back in the ground?”Charis smiled and clasped the handle nearest to her with both hands.  Together, Ischarus and Charis lifted the oven and lowered it into the ground until it rested upon the well heated volcanic rocks.  With a little effort the oven lid was covered with loose dirt that rested beside the pit for just this purpose.  The ground would seal in the heat that was given off by the volcanic stones.A familiar voice spoke from the opposite side of Elistra and Shauvry.  “Well, that looks like a mighty feast.  I’m glad I came!  Should be ready in a few hours, no?”Ischarus and Semeion both stood and looked with expectation in the direction of the voice, yet it was Rhema who spoke first.  She had been standing and in good position to see the newcomer approach.  “Brandt?  You got our message!”Brandt smiled at the greeting and shook hands with each member of the foursome.  “Yep, I got your message.  Trust me when I say that it was difficult to stay away all day.  But your message said to seek you out here at the villa in order to find out what you all learned in Eberdeen.  I figured that I’d come a little early and see if there was anything that my magic could do to help with regard to the villa’s reconstruction.”Rhema nodded.  “Of course.  Why don’t we let the meat cook and absorb the smoke while we go find something to do?  We can return to this discussion around the fire this evening when our bellies are full and our muscles are tired.”[Sblock=Color-Free Speech Section]The party was able to ride into Huetown and arrive at Rhema’s father’s villa in the late afternoon. They had stopped at a few local merchants in Huetown to pick up some food in addition to a few other building supplies that might be needed over the course of the next few days. As they turned off of the road and began to walk their horses up the long dusty path that lead to the site of the old villa, they could see Iasho walking steadily towards them. In a few minutes they dismounted from their horses and greeted Iasho with smiles and hugs. Iasho replied with an equally warm welcome.The elderly man spoke with a strong voice. “Your trip was successful, I see! Even if it was not successful in gathering the information it was surely successful with regard to the bounty with which you have returned to us!”Rhema smiled proudly, allowing her lips to part as she beamed under her father’s attention. “Our trip was good on all fronts, if not a bit strange. We brought the food and supplies out of celebration. We figured the workers could use a good hearty meal once the sun goes down tonight. If we start right away, we can get the pit smoking and the meat cooking in under an hour!”Semeion smiled. “Rhema, I think we can manage to do it quicker than just under an hour. Between the matches that Ischarus bought and a few other resources, we can have the meat cooking in far less time than that, don’t you think?”Iasho grinned at the playfulness of the foursome. By all appearances they seemed to be enjoying themselves. In truth, they had come a long way both spiritually and emotionally in their journey back to Huetown. They decided that in spite of the delays, it might be best to wait a full day before initiating the Phoenix command. By waiting until noon tomorrow, they would give Brandt an opportunity to hear the details without having to worry about countermanding the Phoenix command through speech. Brandt might be able to accomplish some research and at least help them narrow down the various possibilities which the Phoenix command might bring about.Rhema turned back to look at Semeion, and the memories from last summer’s battle flooded back into her mind. “Oh, I think I know what you mean.” Her eyes glinted with a slight twinkle. She hadn’t needed to use her powers for a few days and it would feel good to exercise the mental muscles once more.The party continued on foot until they reached the remains of the former villa. Ischarus gathered up some of the supplies that they had purchased and brought back with them and guided Elistra to the opposite side of the ruined villa. He found the undamaged pit in the ground that had served the villa in cooking food for many years. With luck, it would continue to serve the villa for years to come.Ischarus knelt down to the ground and pulled loose dirt away and into a small pile. Just underneath the surface of the ground he found two metal handles within a cooking pit. He pulled upwards hard in a jerking motion and the scraping of metal upon metal rang across the length of the villa’s plowed fields. Many of the workers who were in the process of tending the fields and cutting trees to use in the construction of the villa turned in recognition of the sound. Many of them applauded briefly at the realization that the sound would mean a healthy meal of smoked meat for dinner.Ischarus lifted the handles, bringing the large metal smoking oven to the surface. He slid his hand across the top of the oven until his fingers caught on a lip. The oven lid slid along the remainder of the top and presented an opening in which to arrange the meat. Once the oven was opened, Ischarus turned and laid along the ground in order to reach into the three foot deep pit. He easily lifted a dozen eight inch diameter volcanic stones to the surface.Rhema brought Shauvry to stand alongside Elistra and released the reigns. She smiled as her husband had struggled to lift the heavy oven out of the ground and onto the surface. “If you are going to stock the meat, I’ll start working on the fire.”Ischarus nodded and smiled. He knew that Rhema was no pyromaniac, but he also knew that she enjoyed playing with fire from time to time and there was no better fire starter than his wife. Rhema left his side and gathered a small stockpile of wood and kindling. It didn’t take her more than a minute to stack the wood in the small chamber so that a fire could take.Rhema looked pleased when she finished with her work. “Alright, the wood is ready. Care to light a match for me?”Ischarus reached into a pocket fastened to the belt which held his scabbard. He pulled out a small wooden box and slid the top of the box open. The box opened with a click and Ischarus removed a single match. He winked to Rhema as he struck the match along a gray striking plate glued to the wooden side of the box.As the match flared into flame, Rhema focused her eyes upon its center. The yellow flame engulfed the round end of the wooden match. As Rhema focused on the flame, she mentally called the flame away from the wood that fueled its flickering. Even as the flame left the wood it did not diminish in intensity. The flame leapt magically through the air as Rhema’s mind sustained its essence.Rhema used her mind to move the flame down into the pit until it passed into the midst of the kindling and wood that she had stacked at the bottom of the pit. She held the flame in place with her mind until the kindling began to smolder and smoke. An instant later the kindling burst into flame. Rhema moved the flame from the match to several secondary locations in order to catch the wood in the underground oven on fire faster than normal. In only a matter of minutes the wood in the bottom of the oven blazed so high that the flames licked the top edge of the three foot pit.Rhema was pleased with the ease that the fire caught. “There now, give the fire a few more minutes to burn the wood into ashes and then throw the stones upon the ground.”Ischarus knew the routine well enough to roll his eyes at the instructions of his wife. “I’ve cooked many meals in this pit. I know how to do it!”Rhema snickered and replied with a tease in her voice. “Of course, dear.”Ischarus grabbed a four foot metal rod that rested comfortably against a pile of rubble from the villa and waited a few more minutes. “I do believe that we’ve let it burn quite long enough now.” Ischarus thrust the end of the rod into the burned wood and many of the pieces broke apart as the ash within crumbled. Ischarus peered into the bottom of the pit and smiled as red hot embers shimmered back. “I think the embers are ready for the stones now.”Rhema lifted one of the volcanic rocks from where Ischarus had stacked them earlier. She handed them one by one to her husband, who gently sat them upon the red hot embers. He watched for a moment once all the stones had been replaced inside the pit.Rhema stood over him and spoke confidently. “Well, I think we’ve done it once again. Now, I’ll watch the fire while you stack the meat into the oven with the hickory chips.”Ischarus nodded. He reached into Elistra’s saddlebag and pulled out a small bundle of wet towels. With a few simple strokes of his hand he unraveled the wet wrappings. Several small well moistened chips of hickory sat inside the bundle. Ischarus smiled as he arranged the chips in the bottom of the smoking oven.Semeion and Charis led Thana and Abijou around the side of the burned down villa once they saw that the fire had caught and the oven was ready to be filled. They bid Iasho goodbye with a promise to have dinner ready shortly after the sun set. Once they had joined Ischarus and Charis on the far side of the villa, they began to untie the fowl and large cuts of beef that they had purchased at the market. Ischarus received the meat and arranged it in the oven, making sure that the hickory chips remained uncovered so that the smoke would penetrate the entire oven. Once he was pleased with how the meat was arranged, he slid the oven door lid closed and made sure it was tight. “Don’t want any dirt to get in and spoil the meat, do we? Charis, would you mind giving me a hand to put the oven back in the ground?”Charis smiled and clasped the handle nearest to her with both hands. Together, Ischarus and Charis lifted the oven and lowered it into the ground until it rested upon the well heated volcanic rocks. With a little effort the oven lid was covered with loose dirt that rested beside the pit for just this purpose. The ground would seal in the heat that was given off by the volcanic stones.A familiar voice spoke from the opposite side of Elistra and Shauvry. “Well, that looks like a mighty feast. I’m glad I came! Should be ready in a few hours, no?”Ischarus and Semeion both stood and looked with expectation in the direction of the voice, yet it was Rhema who spoke first. She had been standing and in good position to see the newcomer approach. “Brandt? You got our message!”Brandt smiled at the greeting and shook hands with each member of the foursome. “Yep, I got your message. Trust me when I say that it was difficult to stay away all day. But your message said to seek you out here at the villa in order to find out what you all learned in Eberdeen. I figured that I’d come a little early and see if there was anything that my magic could do to help with regard to the villa’s reconstruction.”Rhema nodded. “Of course. Why don’t we let the meat cook and absorb the smoke while we go find something to do? We can return to this discussion around the fire this evening when our bellies are full and our muscles are tired.”[/Sblock]</blockquote>

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