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Verik shares a look with Virtue they do say animals take after their owners, and nods, "Yes we cannot leave traps lying about if we hope to civilize these lands, they would be the proverbial accident waiting to happen. I suppose we can just cave in the sides of the pits as best we can and uncover them?"
Taisper's eyes are wet, and his face is contorted from misery and confusion. He stares intensely up at Orlivanch's cabin while Tandlara is speaking.
"I knew, Tandlara. The whole time. I knew. Master Hunter Sindelle, she would have been so proud. I didn't hesitate at all. So proud. And they didn't care. They won't care." He looks at the elf, then, and it's as if he's seeing her for the first time. "They told me it'd happen, I guess, I was warned. But I didn't want it to happen like this, I...I didn't wa-" Taisper breaks off and looks off to the side. "...I'm real sorry, Tandlara, but I can't talk about it right now. I need to think for a bit. I'm sorry." The young inquisitor then walks into the woods.
As Verik walks up, Taisper is finishing Exercises; he's doing pushups, and his back is a mottled wall of bruises and punctures and cuts leftover from his fall into Orlivanch's pit trap yesterday. He stands back up as Verik finishes.
"Verik. I'm not a cleric, okay? You can't think of me like that. I did real good yesterday. Real good. All the Master Hunters would have said so. I thought...I thought everyone knew about the Inquisition Branch, but I guess I was wrong. So I'll fill you in. The High Council started the Inquisition Branch to take care of problems that take advantage of loopholes in the law and other things that can't easily be eliminated. They basically start smaller branches wherever they're needed. Well, in Alkenstar City, they were needed. In Alkenstar, in the Mana Wastes, we had a problem. Miscreants and malcontents were setting up shop, waylaying merchant caravans and stopping trade. Clerics and paladins tried to put an end to it, but the wastes...Verik the wastes are brutal and wild, way worse than this place. Most magic doesn't work out there and warriors from Nex and Geb are always skirmishing. While our people were trying to take the bandits in, they would get hit by another bandit raiding party that would free the prisoners and they'd band together. We lost a lot of people Verik. I had a lot of friends whose dads and moms didn't come home, because they were trying to bring the criminals in for justice. And even when they succeeded, well, our prisons were full, so lesser offenders were put free...it was bad Verik. The law was openly mocked. Neighborhoods were hiring mercenaries for safety. So the Head Abbot contacted the High Council and asked for an Alkenstar Branch of the Inquisition to be formed, and a Hunting School to be started."
"The Inquisitors, Verik, they really do have a dispensation to carry out the law as it is given to them directly from the Lawgiver. I know you don't believe me, but it doesn't matter if you believe me. I watched them. I saw them work. I saw our trade routes open back up, Verik, I saw our neighborhoods rid of crime and lawlessness and evil. No more clerics and paladins died in the wastes, alone and sunburned and dehydrated and miserable. The jails weren't full, the courts were able to clear their dockets and work on more important stuff. Dad got a raise 'cos the factory needed to churn out more weapons now that they could actually move the goods. The zombies and ghouls and other undead, they never came even close to the city walls anymore. They helped us, Verik. They helped my city. So when I got picked for Hunting School, well, it was...it was..." Taisper trails off. After a moment he shakes himself, then bends down to rummage for clothes. "I was taught not to take prisoners, Verik, and I never wanted to anyway. Yesterday and the day before and all the fights since we got here, I've been doing what I was taught, what I believed, what I knew, and I've been doing it real good, but all I've gotten is grief for it, and that's been confusing. But after yesterday I guess I understand, but it makes me even more sad. Master Hunter Zik, he told us all that in some cities there were certain elements of the church that wouldn't approve of us, and other faiths that wouldn't. That they wouldn't understand." Taisper stands back up and looks at Verik. "I guess he was talking about people like you and Jemini. He said we should be prepared, at any time, to strike out on our own, that we should only stay with a group as long as it served our purposes."
Taisper moves close to Verik, then, still looking him in the eyes. "Did you know I can see your aura, Verik? And everybody's auras? I just have to concentrate. I can track better than anyone else in the party, though none of you know it or would ask 'cos I'm so young. I don't really need this group. I don't need any group. I was taught specifically not to." Taisper backs off, looking deflated. "But I love family, Verik. I need people around or my head gets weird with thoughts. I forget what people are sometimes. I start to...to think...but that doesn't matter. As much as I liked Master Hunters Zik and Sindelle, Master Hunter Corbett was my favorite, Verik, and he used to say 'you can't defend a community if there's no community to defend.' I liked that a lot, Verik, because it meant I could do my job and still maybe someday have a neighborhood again."
Taisper takes a deep breath. "It makes me real sad you called me a f-... a fu-... that word so much yesterday, and that now you hate me and are gonna try to kill me or something if I do as I was taught again. It makes me sad I made you and Jemini so mad at me, and I guess Berrin and Tandlara, too. I thought you guys would all be proud 'cos I did as I was taught. I just didn't...I could just see his aura, Verik, and I thought everyone could. I didn't think about it. So now I guess I'm in this place where I have to choose between doing as I was taught -- as I believe -- and being able to have a community, and it's a community where two people don't like me, two are indifferent, and I got only one friend. Well, or at least that's how it looks right now. If that is the case, well, that's not much of a choice. But I believe in what Master Hunter Corbett taught me, so I'll try. You get Zander and Berrin to tell me to do things this way -- I know Jemini agrees with you and Tandlara asked me last night -- and I'll do it. Every time I do, I'm going to be a failure in my teachers' eyes, Verik, the people who took a chance on a poor kid and helped my family. I'll be going against what I was taught and what I believe and know. I don't expect that to mean much of anything to you since you think I'm...wrong, but it means the world to me." For the first time since their arrival, Taisper is not smiling, and looks honestly miserable.
Bundling his clothes, Taisper sighs and starts to walk towards the woods. "I gotta change. I reckon I'll be hearing from Zander and Berrin shortly. I'll be right back."
In the quiet tumble where everybody is getting packed up Jemini stands watching Taisper's solitude from a distance. Seeing Tandlara nearby she asks in quiet conversation, "What do you think of him, Tandlara? At times he looks so confused by my words - and at other times he's more a child than a man. I mean, little children are very pure hearted. Not in the sense that they are good - mind you - but in the sense that there is little between how they think and how they act. Their understanding of the world is in the here and now - with little thought of tomorrow. I'm worried that Taisper never had the chance to learn the kind of things that I take for granted." Jemini listens to herself for a moment, then laughs a little, "heh! Listen to me. To you all of us humans likely are as children."
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Verik stays quiet as he watches Taisper walk away, finding it hard to reconcile his horror as the old man's lifeblood splattered across his face with terrible warmth and the salty tang of blood upon his tongue, with his cousins pained words.
But hardship is too often an excuse for doing things the wrong way is it not? I would not have objected to the things he described. How could striking without hesitation avail against the Undead, or demons, any Cleric of Abadar would already do so. Because it is just to kill men when their is a real chance of their comrades falling upon you does not make what Taisper did just. I doubt what you have been told cousin, though not your belief in it. And that ruthlessness is sometimes dictated is no excuse for applying it when it is not.
Eyeing Taisper over the brim of his saddle as he makes his way to the woods Berrin quickly fineshes the last strap and hurries after him. "Hei kid! Wait up." Jogging over to Taisper he looks him in the eye, all serious.
"How you holdin up kid? Doin alright?" he asks ernestly.
"Look kid, I realize we don't know each other all that well, ok? I have no idea what s#@+ you've pulled and you don't know mine, but seeing as we're spendin all this time together of late amd gettin into all these scraps I feel it's time to talk, alright?" Berrin is obviously hesitant, not used to heartfelt conversations.
"I just wanted to tell ya I think your doin good, alright? Your sticking with your mates and your pulling your own in battle, when it comes to a fight thats what counts, see. I've known plenty of men turn tail and run when it starts to get ugly but you, you stick to your own and thats good."
Now, I realize your young and you ain't seen much of wordly affairs, more than your cousin maybee, but thats not realy a good referance I reckon. But seein as your still young your blood still runs hot see? And thats ok! Thats only natural." Berrin is quick to add.
"Also I respect a man willin to do as needed, and you've proven yourself willin, but the thing is, see, somtimes a man needs to curb himself, right. Sometimes thats what needs to be done. You follow? Sometimes the right thing to do is nothing, see?" Berrin tries to explain, hoping he's not making an ass of himself.
"Now with that Orly-whatsit last night. That frakker was obviously cracked, right? But we did'nt know how much, see? An killin a frakker becouse he gets on yer nerves ain't right, see? Givin him a good thrashing? Sure. But outright killin ain't good, alright?"
Raisin his hands before Taisper can replie Berrin trieas to finish up his say, "Now I don't mean to lecture, alright? I'm just not the type and frankly I doubt I have the right, ok? Your alright by me kid, as I said, but please try to curb it when it's right, right?"
Taisper's jaw drops. He's not sure he's heard Berrin speak this much to anyone, much less himself. He's always respected the larger warrior's battle skills and acumen so to get this kind of advice and request takes him aback.
"S...Sure, Berrin. I...yeah. Thanks, I didn't know. I...I didn't know you thought I was doing good work in combat. Thanks. Thanks, Berrin." The inquisitor gives Berrin a sort of half-smile before retreating to the woods to change.
As Zander and Berrin sit together on the edge of the campsite, Zander is focused on his companions and his thoughts. As he watches Jemini and Verik, he wonders what they're whispering about and narrows his eyes, trying his best to read their expressions. He can see they are clearly concerned, but it seems the anger from earlier in the day has faded from their faces.
He then looks to Tandlara and Taisper; the inquisitor is quiet as the elf woman talks to him and then gets up and leaves. Zander considers going after him for a moment, but doesn't know what he'd say. As Berrin speaks up, Zander turns and listens before responding, "Yeah, I think we'll be okay. We just can't let this thing with Orlivanch get between us is all. I mean, to be honest we've only known each other for a week now. It seems like a lot longer with all we've been through, but we're all new to each other, you know?" With a shrug, he crawls into his bedroll and gets ready to settle in for the night, "I think we'll be fine. We just have to stick together and not let things get out of hand. Anyway, I'm pretty exhausted. G'night man."
Zander wakes up with the rest of the party and when Tandlara asks about the exploration, he nods nods in agreement with Berrin's assessment. "Berrin's right. We have plenty of supplies still. Let's finish clearing out these traps and then head up into those mountains over there in the northwest."
As Zander packs up his horse, he keeps an eye on Taisper and Verik talking on the outskirts of the camp and smiles to himself as Taisper seems to be making something of an impression on the cleric. He tries to make eye contact as Taisper returns, but the inquisitor is quickly intercepted by Berrin who seems to be giving Taisper some sort of advice. As they part ways, Zander finally catches Taisper's eyes, but figuring the man has had enough lectures for the day, simply gives a smile and a nod, trying to look as reassuring as possible.
Jemini still keeps, socially, distant from Taisper. Though otherwise acts normally - other than then occasional minute of brooding on some thoughts.
Jemini also takes momentary pause as she reflects on how different her life would be if she were a metrosexual man with blond hair tied into a short pony tail.
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Verik begins by attacking the sides of the pits upon the hill caving them in as best he can, and tearing the covering off those which still have it. He is soon sweating and panting hard, but the monotonous work feels good and he allows himself to loose himself in it.
"What do we do after this, circle out from the hill here?" He asks looking to Zander - who he thinks of as the most at home in the wild.
Berrin finds a long and slim tree branch about 10 fett in length wich he cuts down and trims with his axe. Wielding the resulting pole in both hands he methodicly pokes the ground in front of him, setting off any traps in his way and uncovering pits in the prosess.
The work is long a gruesome and by midday Berrin is tired and dirty from the mornings exertion. "If I ever tell ya I'm taking up farming, kindly remind me of this day please." he says, utterly exhousted plodding down on his blanket.
"An honest day's toil too much for ya?" Jemini chides - but she's panting with the midday sun and the exertions as much as Berrin. She sits down for a breather under a tall tree, "What you been doing before you decided to til the land with us?"
Working alongside the rest of the party filling in the pit traps,Zander feels good that everyone seems to be getting along better after yesterday's conflict. Replying to Verik's question, he thinks for a moment before saying, "We took care of most of the traps on the way here already, we should focus on the unexplored parts of this area and then setting out for the mountains."
"Also, given the addled state of Orlivanch's mind - I figure we can concentrate on paths, trails and footfalls."
"Eh? Me? Oh not much for the past years realy. I ran with some mercenaries a few years back but after I left them I've mostly wandered between cities." Berrin replies to Jemini with a snort. "Never found my nich I suppose. Spent a year in New Stetven at a point. Had a good thing going looking out for some girls and helpn some friends out, but eh... Well. It didn't work out and left." Berrin gains a wistfull look as he recolects his time in New Stetven. "Ended up in Restov after that, but it wasn't the same see. Then the charter came along and, bamm! I'm here."
Zander nods in agreement, "That's not a bad idea Verik. We could probably use the tools in the house to put together some signs pretty easily."
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Verik nods, "Great, I'll knock some together, should be easy enough to carve a succinct message, 'Danger traps off path' maybe?"
He strides off and fetches a few boards from the house which he begins to work into a number of vaguely sign shaped objects before beginning the time cosuming process of carving the letters into each and using charcoal from the fire to darkend the letters to make them stand out.
'He is like a human child in many ways though. The same way that is morality is him, rather than a choice or even a concious part of him. In truth it frightens me somewhat, but I think he can be brought around. I think he means well, he's just very misguided. All little boys have to grow up eventually!' She smiles at the woman, but her eyes are somewhat sad.
'Humans may life much shorter lifes, but you grow up so fast, in ways that many elves never do. In a way we have too much time, we never have the same drive, even those of us who step into the human world, who are considered wild and rambunctious struggle next to human vitality.'
Tandlara does what she can to help the effort, though physical exertion quickly leaves her exhausted, she uses her keen eyes to search for traps and mark them as best she can so the others can find and disable them easily.
Taisper assists in the trap-finding and pit-filling while keeping as low a conversational profile as possible, which is unsurprisingly quite easy. The work doesn't bother him too much as he used to volunteer at construction sites during the boom times in Alkenstar City in order to bring some more coin home, but his wounded back slows him a bit more than he'd probably ever admit.
I didn't want Master Hunter Zik to ever be right but he was right. I thought they'd be proud, I did so good. Orlivanch was evil and was Judged before I even saw him. Only I saw. Why did they want him alive. They healed him and not me. I was Punished. He was Judged. Not ever before. I thought I understood this UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY 'it's all in the eyes' Master Hunter Sindelle said she said 'you can see it there when they are frightened of you that they Know they Transgressed and are Judged' but Jemini says they live and get Executed and Kressle lives even though she's Judged and Verik says he says you F-! he says you're a F-! because you Judged him instead of letting him live and so you're a F-! you don't do that NEVER AGAIN and maybe what if but mom no dad I can't fail you that makes me a...just what Verik said and what if...
"...what if he's right?" Taisper stops filling in the pit trap he's working on by himself, a ways from the others but in earshot if anything attacks. He takes out the gems that were the small elemental's eyes and holds them in his palm, looking at them. They weren't frightened. That bothered you. What did you want to see. "I was just doing as I was taught. As I'm good at." You do what you think. You do what you're born to do. The Hunters didn't know. Taisper shakes himself and puts the eyes back in his pocket and resumes digging and filling.
"I'm not." He says quietly to himself. "I'm not. I just...I'm not."
As the afternooon wears on Jemini finds opportunity to seek out Taisper in relative isolation. "Hi Taisper. I wanted to say that I'm sorry for the bad blood of yesterday. Don't get me wrong - I still hold by what I said; but I think you deserve more of an explanation."
"Taisper, it is clear that whatever training you've experienced at the inquisition, it marks you. Every morning I see how you, hehe, religious, follow your exercise regime. You are effective to a fault in combat situations. These should be good things; and they are."
"But let me show you the other side of that: in the heat of battle, when the body, mind and spirit are carried by split-seconds, it is easy to lose track. It is easy to justify something when the blood is flowing and the screams are like echoes. Even though we are weak compared to the gods, we act on their impetus. But we may not always act with the pure intentions guided by the divines. Just once, in battle, when the fighting is thick and heavy, when it is hard to make heads and tails, just once it is possible that we mistakenly slay where there was no call from the gods. We are flawed creatures, and must defend against our own imperfections - so it is dangerous, very dangerous, to act heedlessly on our judgments. Just once we might get ahead of ourselves and slay an innocent - and if that happens we can never again be as before. That is why I worry so much. I fear that just once you may cross a line that you never wanted to cross. That is the reason why I think it is good to pause, if even for just a few moments, before ending a life. That pause may be the thing that separates us from the ones that we do not want to become."
She's earnest and friendly, if not exactly warm, "I think we're a blessed party. The gods that favor us are strong, good gods that uphold the strength and order of the land and its people. And you too, Taisper, are part of it. We're a small family that may give birth to a new nation. Much rests in our hands. I really want to see us succeed here."
"...cross a, a line...? But I di..." Taisper stops, then looks up. "You know I'm pretty sure you've never said that much to me before. Not all at once anyway."
The inquisitor leans on his shovel and looks at the dirt pile that used to be a pit. With his left hand he wipes dust off his face and shakes sand and soil out of his hair. "Everyone's talking to me about killing now today. I guess I really did do something wrong, but even though everyone's telling me what I did wrong, I...don't feel wrong. But then maybe that's why I am wrong." He makes a face and sighs. "That probably doesn't make any sense. The Master Hunters, you know Jemini, they all said I was good because I didn't stop. I didn't hesitate. They said if I knew in my head someone was Judged then I was right. There weren't any innocents. But now I'm here, and you and Verik and the others are saying I need to hesitate. It's a lot for me to change right away. But well, if there's another yesterday, I'll have to leave or...or it'll be bad, and that's harder." He glances at Jemini's sword arm, then over at where Verik is making signs, then resumes his staring at the dirt. He seems unable to make eye contact, his own shiny eyes looking only downward.
"I just wish I understood what was going on. I feel so dumb around you and Verik most of the time. And Zander and Berrin are so experienced and Tandlara's so wise and I just don't...get why back home they would all tell me one thing over and over, and say what I knew in my head about the Judged was right, but now out here I'm learning maybe it's not. And I mean you guys and the Hunters can't both be right...right? And if the Master Hunters were wrong, then that means that...that I'm" He shakes his head. "I don't know. It's a lot."
The expedition spends the rest of the day engaged in backbreaking and painstaking labor removing the traps they can and marking the rest. Verik devises an excellent system of triangulation to map out their locations, assisted by Zander's tracking skills. Even the cool air can't keep them from ending the day considerably sweatier than they began it. The afternoon turns to dusk and then to night. Verik appears fairly confident that they reduced the likelihood of someone stumbling into a trap by around 90%. Exhausted from the physical toil and the emotional toll, the expedition camps together near Orlivanch's cabin.
Perhaps they will burn it in in the morning.
The sun rises on the group, its warm rays awakening them just as some wild birds do. They begin stir, relieved by a good night's sleep.
After the day of exertions fades to a close Jemini approaches Verik, a little blush on her face. "Verik... could I ask a favor?"
As the day passes, Tandlara is largely ineffective in helping with the traps. She does however make a point of finding small dead animals. She adds a shrews skeleton to her macabre belt and harvests small bones from fox and badger corpses she finds. As the day goes un she cleans these off, and rubs them clean. She then can be seen throwing them on the ground and watching how they fall.
This grisly work occupies her until late in the day. She approaches Berrin and Zander, waving for Taispar to join them. With a smile she motions for everyone to be queit for a moment, and flattens some earth before laying a piece of cloth across it.
She then drops a small platoon of knucklebones, each scratched with numbers in the elven scipt. Her smile widens to a genuine grin that actually reaches her eyes. 'Who speaks elven? And who would like to roll a few dice and risk losing some coin to an old woman?'
Bluff:
Tandlara is trying to get everyone playing and interacting with each other again.
"Verik. I know you're a man of great... moral... strength... and I'm well... the day has been long, and we've all been working hard and I'd like to cleanmyselfabitsocouldyoumaybeprettypleasemakemesomewaterinadiscretemannter . Please."
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Now bright red Verik says, "Line of sight." in a small strangled voice, before shaking his head and coughing. "Ah that is, if we can find you something to stand behind, like, um, a board from the house then I can just keep creating water above you, its ah, a bit awkward, but its what I do in the morning - I mean not over you, over me if you see... I suppose everyone could do it we are all, ah, less than fragrant I suspect."
The young cleric hurries off and begins setting up an improptu shower at the bottom of the hill burying the ends of several boards and bracing them with some smaller pieces of wood until it appears reasonably sturdy.
"There that should do it..."
Smiling with relief Jemini gratefully accepts the solution Verik proposes, adding a few bigger rocks to stand on during the shower to allow the water to run off better. She tries to hurry, but it still takes a good 10 minutes of awkward knocks and apologies for the two of them to get the actual showering complete.
"Thank you Verik."
She approaches Berrin, Taisper, Zander and Tandlara as they brood over something. "What you guys doing? Oh! I think you need to raise the stakes!"
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Verik moves over and watches the dicing for a while, before finally turning in early, asking to be woken for the last watch.
The next day after his watch he stirs up the fire adding a few branches and makes use of the makeshift screen to have a good shower himself. He swaps out his outfit for one washed previously and feels better for it, strapping on his breastplate while trying to be quiet and then sitting by the fire atop his bedroll to begin his morning prayers...
Dear Abadar,
Things are better... I do not know if we have seen the end of this argument, but Taisper seems... If not contrite, then at least to be willing to consider that there may be a problem with his actions, and potentially the teachings that they stem from. I have heard nothing more of the infallibility of his judgment, though I fear that belief in his has not been wholly eroded.
Still we did good work yesterday. Although Tandlara's bones make me a little uncomfortable, I suppose the creatures are dead, but playing around with their corpses seems oddly disrespectful. I shall have to ask her about it because given my previous experience of her I doubt that is truly the case, she seems to care for animals. I am sure hearing the philosophy behind it would prove enlightening.
I also think I may have been somewhat hasty in judging Berrin's past, I had thought he had done something terrible, but it does not seem to fit. But I do not think asking about it would be appropriate... I suppose I just need to trust my friends more.
Berrin perks up when he hears the familiar rattle of dice. Rising from cleaning his nails on his cot he moves over to her. "Sure. I'll roll some dice, don't expect to skin me though! You'll have to get me drunk enough first for me to play high stakes." He says with a grin at Tandlara as he plods down and accepts the dice.
"I've been around gambling some, and gambling halls. It's harmless in itself but the people around it can get both stupid and mean. Not to mention greedy. It's amazing the hold theese little things get on a man." Berrin reminices shaking his head at the memories of bouncing at a gambling hall.
Berrin wakes up with a grumble, aching from the previous days exertion. Berrin was big, strong and healthy but it had been a while since he had done good honest work. Gettin up he stretches and walks around a bit to work out most of the tension in his muscles. Ravenous as always he then sets to making breakfast and eating. "So we're headin up the mountain then?"
Having seen plenty of dice games go on in the streets and sites back home, Taisper is aware ofwhat they are, but largely ignorant of their workings. This ignorance, combined with his own naivety, makes him a depressingly easy mark for Berrin and Zander and Tandlara, though losing some coin is worth it to the inquisitor as being in the game allows him to finally smile for the first time in what feels like months, but has only been barely two days.
Taisper rises at his usual time and sets off a bit into the woods to do Exercises as always. she said 'religiously' and laughed there is something Taisper's breath hisses in and out. His back is fully healed by now and he feels invigorated by the good soreness that has resulted from yesterday's work. behind her eyes that's where it is it always is what line they are the Judged what line NEVER BACK they never told me about a line it was always UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY to do what was in my head they said I was right I am right I am sanct...sancti...no Verik said you're not he said you're a F-! Taisper finishes pushups with a ferocious grunt and leaps to his feet, shaking his head. "Stop it! Ugh." He lets out a disgusted-sounding breath and continues Exercises.
When done, he looks around the little patch of woods in which he's been going through his morning routine, looking for some tracks. Finding some, though barely, he begins to follow and analyze them, practicing. He guesses they belong to a fox and is pleased when he sees they lead of to what could be a den. "Heh. But then, I've never seen a fox den ever, so who knows?"
He makes his way back to the group then, and quietly approaches Zander as the archer is readying his horse. "Hey Zander." He says, and he is again smiling, if a bit sheepishly. "I wanted to say thanks, thanks for standing up for me -- with me -- two days ago. It meant a lot. I guess I know that, even though what I did wasn't wrong in my head, it was wrong for all these guys -- " Taisper makes a sweeping motion towards the rest of the party with his arm. "-- and maybe that's what's more important now. And, well, and maybe..." His eyes are downcast for just this moment. "...maybe I am wrong. It wouldn't have been wrong for my teachers, I know, or my family. Well, maybe. I guess after talking with Jemini and Verik I don't know that's true anymore. But still. The Master Hunters would have been happy, but they're not here. You guys are." Taisper makes unflinching eye contact with the scarred warrior, then, and it's as if Zander isn't scarred at all, for all the notice Taisper takes of the man's face. The young inquisitor seems only ever to focus on people's eyes, to a perhaps-unnerving level of exclusivity. "But so yeah. Thanks. I'll remember that, I promise you. I don't...I don't forget stuff like that. I don't think." Taisper claps Zander on the shoulder then, and nods, and goes back to getting his own horse ready.
Zander spends most of the evening studying his map and adding notations indicating the traps they've found. 'I should get some decent inkpens when we get back to Oleg's and make a better copy of this thing,' he thinks to himself, enjoying his work.
When Tandlara comes up and suggests a dice game, he's tentative at first, never having really participated in games like this, but picks it up quickly and enjoys the easy smiles that come over his companions as the bones roll and the night wears on. 'Yeah, I think we'll be okay...' his own words from the previous night echo in his mind.
Zander spends the morning packing up his gear and getting ready to set out. 'Yesterday was good to clear our heads, but we have to make sure we don't spend too many days like that... We'll run out of rations if we don't keep moving...'
He is lost in his thoughts when Taisper approaches him and is a bit surprised when he hears the young man's voice over his shoulder. After the inquisitor finishes talking and begins to walk away, Zander steps forward and calls out, "Taisper, I... I don't know if what happened the other day was right or not. I don't know if that man was judged by the Gods and died according to some sort of plan. All I know is that when he shot at us... when he shot Tandlara... he crossed a line. If we're going to survive out here we have to be willing to deal with people like that. Maybe you knew from the beginning what kind of a monster he was or maybe you didn't, but all I knew what that he was trying to kill me and my.. and my friends and I'll be damned if I'm going to stand for that. Verik and Jemini, I know they mean well, but they've lived in comfort and law and order their whole lives. If someone tried to kill them, they'd just turn them over to the city guard to be dealt with and forget about it. Well we don't have city guards out here. We don't have the comfort of not having to deal with these things and they're going to have to realize that." Clearing his throat, he continues, "But we can't tear each other apart either. The last thing in the world that I want is for our disagreements to lead to us parting ways or.. or worse. If all it takes to keep them calm is to let them have their trials and courts and legal documents, I say let them. I mean, I acknowledge that we'll need those things eventually if we are to start something down here and as long as the verdict comes out the same in the end, I could care less... But I've seen the way courts work in the cities... If the criminal has the coin or the connections, they can slip through the cracks and do whatever they please... We can't let that happen here. And I know it won't, because I know that if those legal types," he glances to Verik and Jemini, "If they get tied up with their legal code and their red tape... I know you'll be around to make sure that justice gets served."
"But I've seen the way courts work in the cities... If the criminal has the coin or the connections, they can slip through the cracks and do whatever they please... We can't let that happen here. And I know it won't, because I know that if those legal types... get tied up with their legal code and their red tape... I know you'll be around to make sure that justice gets served."
Taisper nods sagely at this, an almost comical expression for the naive inquisitor. "Zander, yeah, you're so right. That's one of the reasons Head Abbot asked the High Council for an Alkenstar City Inquisition Branch. It's not the main reason, I know -- the troubles in the Wastes was the big one -- but it was getting bad, with so many criminals able to get sprung if they knew the right lawyers because the prisons needed so much room. So...so yeah. I understand, and that's definitely a job I'm here for."
Zander smiles, glad to hear his words were well-received, "Good, good. Say, want to get in some archery practice before we set out? I'm pretty much all packed and it looks like your cuz is still doing his prayers. We could probably get in some good shooting before they're all ready to go. If you're up for it, that is."
Taisper smiles, looking relieved to be able to do so. "Yeah! Yeah, that'd be great! How...I mean, I know I'm not ready for it yet, but how do you do that thing where you shoot real fast? It's like you shoot twice when most people would shoot once, if that makes any sense..."
As they chat, Zander fires off a couple of practice shots at a nearby tree , continuing to fire as he talks.
"Well it's a little tricky and you lose some accuracy in process, but it definitely does help out in a pinch. You have to be pretty serious about archery if you're looking to learn tricks like that though."
"If you are serious about it, I'd recommend first learning to hone your close range shooting skills and then work on precision shooting - It can be tough to shoot through a crowded combat, but it's definitely something worth working on as no one wants an accidental arrow in their back."
"After that you can get to the fancy stuff. One time I saw an old hunter fire off two arrows at the same time, now that's a trick I'd like to pick up! I think I'm a little ways off from that though, heh. I think my current focus is trying to make my shots count a bit more - aiming for weak spots hurts your overall accuracy as well, but if you can down a foe with only a single shot to the head, why waste arrows with two shots to the torso?"
Grinning as his last arrow misses the tree and bounces off a rock in the distance, he adds, "But I suppose there is something to be said for accuracy too, heh."
After the archery practice is finished and everyone is packed, Zander studies the map before saying, "That big mountain in the Northwest should be our next goal, let's get moving."
Taisper is all focus as Zander's talking. He falls easily into a teacher-student type of relationship as it's what he's most comfortable with. In truth, it's all he's really known for the last 5 years. He fires a couple practice shots of his own:
He gets rattled by his two near-misses and whiffs badly on the third, rocketing the arrow clean off into the air and nearly dropping the bow. Taking a moment to calm down, he drills the center of the tree on his final shot. "As usual, practice practice practice." he says as he jogs back to the group to saddle up.
Finishing his breakfast Berrin gears up for travel, doning armor and straping on his weapons before saddeling up Bessie. Mounted and ready to go he nods to Zander. "Mountains it is. We should take a carefull pace up the slopes, we don't want any broken bones."
"Or maybee that doesn't matter eh? You can just patch them together huh?" Berrin quibs to Verik on a second thought.
"Not bad," Jemini mentions as Taisper gets up on his stirrups. "Considering that you starting using the bow for what... three days now? Two close shots and one that really hit home. And its a pretty tough shot at that distance." She looks at her hands for a moment, then back up. "I've never really managed. I've tried, but I was incredibly bad at it." She looks at Taisper with big eyes, "One time Master Quorin nearly lost his eye from a bad ricochet; the ranged classes were mostly canceled from that day on." Butterfingers...
Taisper looks over at Jemini, a bit quizzically, but he smiles cautiously. "Th...thanks. I, uh, I had a bit of training in Hunting School, but they focused mostly on crossbows. For, um, for obvious reasons, I suppose. But yeah. I've got a lot of work ahead of me, that's for sure. I gotta think about what Zander said and decide what to focus on." He stops then, as if just realizing something. "Wait. Your ricochet caused that? And...and they just canceled your lessons?" Taisper seems honestly aggrieved. "That's dumb. I mean, it's no good that your Master almost got hurt, that's no good. But they've got to work with you or how can you get better? That's just...man." Sort of forgetting himself, Taisper looks over at Jemini "Did you know? That it was you that they canceled for? Or did you learn...later? Or were there actually other reasons?"
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Verik scratches Virtue behind the ears, riding over to the group as they discuss archery, "Ha, well they had so much faith in my abilities that they never even handed me a crossbow. Which was probably a good idea, I'm not exactly renowned for my aim, manual dexterity, or balance, and I am told all of those have a bearing."
He looks up to the mountains smiling faintly, "We don't make things easy on ourselves do we? Looks like another hard day, though probably harder for the horses."
Jemini looks a bit guilty, "It was a ricochet off the wall, behind me." A mix of emotions run over her face, but the only one that seems to stay around for longer is a half-smile. "It's not like it was the first lesson. I've been privileged, I've enjoyed lessons and studies of one type or the other mostly all my life. Including several years of ranged combat tutelage. It just never amounted to much. So yea, since it was mostly just me being tutored, I'm pretty sure it was because of me." She looks down to her hands again.
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"We cannot all be good at everything Jemini, if we all stood shooting at our foes we would soon be in trouble. It works better with just Zander because we work as a unit, but I imagine a sword would make short work of a bow at close range." Verik says, wincing at the lameness of his words.
"I mean if we were good at everything we would not need each other, and needing each other is one of our greatest strengths... I, ha, um, yes I think that makes sense." He looks to Taisper and ventures a small hopeful smile.
As the expedition treks into the mountains, the rough terrain slows them down greatly. At places, it is simply too steep to climb. At others, winding canyons force them to turn back and find a different route. Zander and Verik meticulously map the area, stopping frequently to retain their bearings. From high ground, they can see mountains to the northwest and west, and hills to the northeast. The forest they emerged from stretches out to the southeast.
During one of these trips to higher elevation, the group spots a few abandoned-looking ruined buildings about two miles northwest. Unlike most buildings in the area, they appear to be made of stone and are thus likely from a previous settlement attempt.
"I don't recall anything about a place in the mountains. It doesn't seem that suitable for settling as the forest or plains. Anybody have some insights here?"
Tandlara is quieter again over the next few days, hopeful that her efforts and those of the others are mending wounds and rifts within the party. She tries her best to sit closer to the others at camp, and generally make herself more open, but she still spends much of her time looking off into space with a smooth, distracted expression.
She takes well to the mountains, the cooler air and exertion are enjoyable experiences to the elf, and despite her love of the woodlands, she enjoys the change of scenery especially after all that had happened over the last few days. A change of perspective is nice.
She is deeply intrigued when they see the abandoned houses, and her good mood and natural curiosity take the front. With uncharacteristic excitement she says 'I know a way we can get insight! Let's go explore a little. It is what we're here for, afterall!' She grins and pats Avansatra on the neck.
'Lets find a route shall we? Make a studied approach?' She smiles widely at her companions, her odd eagerness readily apparent.