"It is better to travel with people who want you there - they might save your skin in battle. But travel with people who DON'T want you there... they may not be as helpful."
Anneke nods thoughtfully at this and finishes her meade without interrupting.
"In truth, either I will travel with you or I will dog your steps all the way to Sandpoint. I would rather be with you but I leave that to Gilbere. You, Anneke, I think would be fine with my accompanying your group - though I am not so strong."
"I travel here alone but road is shorter with others. You are as strong as men of this land," she looks at Kord, "maybe stronger..."
Standing up the Ulfen woman looks at Gilbere and announces, "Gill Beer, Surya-ka-Vahaak travels with us if she wants. Talk with her sword if you think different."
With that, she nods to Priyya as if that settles the matter and gives her a sturdy clap on the shoulder.
Paehz enters the tavern and orders an ale at the bar. He has distinctive white hair, though he is still young - in his late 20's, it would seem. Armed with greatsword and bow, he walks with the air of a man
"The gear is loaded in the wagon, Kord."
Priyya gets up with Anneke and glances over at the well-muscled Paehz, nodding her head at Anneke to look as well, "There's a husky lad." She chuckles, and it isn't clear whether the phrase carried a sexual overtone or not.
"There's a husky lad."
Upon seeing Paehz's build and the greatsword strapped to his back, she nods and comments, "He moves good. Mother was Vanyar I think." She points to her ears.
Priyya walks over to Paehz and extends her hand as a man would, saying only "Priyya."
Priyya walks over to Paehz and extends her hand as a man would, saying only "Priyya."
Following Priyya's lead, Anneke shifts her halberd to her left hand and grasps Paehz's forearm in the manner by which the warriors of her land greet one another. "Good sword." she nods towards the hilt above his shoulder, "Anneke."
Priyya walks over to Paehz and extends her hand as a man would, saying only "Priyya."
Following Priyya's lead, Anneke shifts her halberd to her left hand and grasps Paehz's forearm in the manner by which the warriors of her land greet one another. "Good sword." she nods towards the hilt above his shoulder, "Anneke."
"Thanks. I'm Paehz."
Priyya takes a step back from Paehz, folds her arms, tilts her head slightly to one side and examines him head to foot while Anneke silently watches. After a moment, Priyya leans into the larger woman (as if consulting her) and openly speculates, "Well, he's very pretty... but can he fight?"
The Ulfen Valkyrie roars her amusement and claps the petite woman on the shoulder nearly knocking her down.
Priyya smiles, "I only jest, Master Paehz. My friend here clearly needed a laugh and well... I suspect you could pick me up with one hand. You are just... so damn BIG!"
1d20+4
"Um... yes, well... uh - Barkeep, another ale!" noticing his mostly full mug, he focuses his attention on draining it's contents."
"Paehz does quite well. I don't think I've ever heard him called 'pretty', but he's a superb hunter and an excellent woodsman."
Seeing the ladies swarming Paehz, Kord mutters "Ah.. I see... well, I'll just get back t' my ale here..."
Priyya drops a coin on the counter to pay for Paehz's next drink and watches him intently, her eyes shining, literally, in the dim bar light. Her stance abruptly changes - her hands folded low, her smile less brazen and more shy. She moves a half-step closer and says quietly, "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you, if that is what I did. It isn't easy meeting new people and being a woman traveling alone... I tend to overcompensate. I hope you won't hold that against me."
"Paehz does quite well. I don't think I've ever heard him called 'pretty', but he's a superb hunter and an excellent woodsman."
Seeing the ladies swarming Paehz, Kord mutters "Ah.. I see... well, I'll just get back t' my ale here..."
Turning from Paehz to Kord thinking that maybe he'd be more comfortable if she wasn't focused on him any longer, Priyya addresses Kord's initial comment, "I'm sure Master Kord that Paehz is brilliant at his craft. But it seems I am a poor comedian... SO what kind of work do you do, aside from leading folks to and from Sandpoint?"
Priyya drops a coin on the counter to pay for Paehz's next drink and watches him intently, her eyes shining, literally, in the dim bar light. Her stance abruptly changes - her hands folded low, her smile less brazen and more shy. She moves a half-step closer and says quietly, "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you, if that is what I did. It isn't easy meeting new people and being a woman traveling alone... I tend to overcompensate. I hope you won't hold that against me."
"I understand. It is not always easy, being a stranger in a strange land."
It is apparent to you that Paehz was, in fact embarrassed, and is hiding it poorly.
"I understand. It is not always easy, being a stranger in a strange land."
It is apparent to you that Paehz was, in fact embarrassed, and is hiding it poorly.
Priyya sighs dramatically and smirks trying to change the mood by poking fun at herself, "And I am stranger than most at times. Tell me, is..." she stumbles over the name, "Magnimar always hip-deep in sword-wielding, brash-talking women? Is there a guild of us near by?"
"So, has everyone gotten their supplies?"
With a negligent toe of her well-worn boots, Priyya kicks a half-empty backpack with a crossbow strapped across it. "I'm ready to go. Say when."
Well, I'm still trying to get stuff in order for the trip out, but we can just put this thing on hold until that is the case. That will also give Gilbere a chance to catch up. I'm not sure if he'l be able to post tomorrow, either. I guess we'll find out.
Works for me.
Kord is staring off into the distance for a moment...
"Hullo? Gathering wool there for a moment, Master Kord?" Priyya smiles at him, trying to bring him back to the present, "I believe you were about to tell me about what you do around the Sandpoint area?"
Kord's attention snaps back to the present.
"Oh, so sorry, m'lady. It seems that the wool I was gatherin' was kinda fascinatin'... As fer me, I'm a bit of a consultant, if ya will. I've spent many a year traveling about Varisia, particularly in this southwestern area. I speak a few of the local languages, know a few of the local folks, and do my best to keep learnin' more all the time."
He sits slightly forward in his chair.
"As a matter of fact, I don't know much about Thuvia at all. Or the lands of the Linnorm Kings either, for that matter."
Hearing Kord mention her homeland, Anneke asks, "You have question?"
To Paehz, she hefts her bulky backpack indicating she has her supplies with her.
"Well, I've definitely never been that far north, so all I know is what little I've read and what little I've picked up talkin' to folks in taverns like this one. I hear, for example, that ye can find amber in good supply up there... true?"
Anneke ponders Kord's question for a moment. "Meade is color amber, so is honey, we have both — lots. But Anneke is warrior not trader or bee farmer so not something I pay much care. Fey, ice, linnorm dragons, LOTS of those. Lots of battles..." She trails off an almost wistful sound in her voice at the thought of battles.
"Oh, so sorry, m'lady. It seems that the wool I was gatherin' was kinda fascinatin'... As fer me, I'm a bit of a consultant, if ya will. I've spent many a year traveling about Varisia, particularly in this southwestern area. I speak a few of the local languages, know a few of the local folks, and do my best to keep learnin' more all the time."
He sits slightly forward in his chair.
"As a matter of fact, I don't know much about Thuvia at all. Or the lands of the Linnorm Kings either, for that matter."
Priyya smiles at being called "m'lady", responding with amusement "Please, just 'Priyya', Master Kord. I've never been a lady. As for my homeland - Thuvia is quite South of here. It's taken a bit over two years to get here by walking. Thuvia is mostly desert, arid plains, and hard pan. The sun there, She is hot - a blessing most times but also unforgiving of mistakes."
"Priyya it is, as long as you just call me Kord. Two years walk - that's a long ways! Even with all that walkin', you still want t' come with us?"
Priyya looks at Kord with that odd intensity he's now seen a couple of times. He thinks somet'in more here is going on w' th'lass than what she's sayin' and seems to be about ME "I am Surya-ka-Vahaak - there is no choice in the matter. You will lead me, to Sandpoint or beyond." She seems to realise how that sounded and tries to regain a casual manner, "Yes, two years IS a long time, Kord."
Kord leans back and strokes his beardless chin thoughtfully.
"Interestin'... Sounds t' me like you n' I have some different ideas about free will n' fate. I'm lookin' forward to chattin' with ya more. Who knows - mebbe I could learn somethin'!"
Priyya looks at Kord with the same earnest thoughtfulness he is displaying, "I don't know that our opinions differ at all. I think you believe in free will, not fate, yes?"
** spoiler omitted **
Kord smiles broadly. "Oh, I am a firm believer in free will... in settin' my own destiny. Seems t' me that this might just fly in the face o' your thought that ye have no choice but t' come with us. Am I missin' somethin'?"
Overhearing their conversation, Anneke comments, "If life journey, stopping gets nowhere. We ready soon?"
Priyya gives a slow smile, like a sunrise. she's really pretty when she in't being so intense. "You are missing something." She laughs and, taking her right hand, the one that perpetually holds and taps her scabbard, she slides it across the table toward him palm up for examination near the large candle between them. He sees that a strangely shaped scar covers nearly her entire palm. Being a well-traveled man, he realises it looks most like the holy symbol of Sarenrae.
She leaves her palm on the table between them. "This is my birthmark. It shows I am one of the chosen implements of Sarenrae. I was born into her service."
She then takes the same scarred hand and uses it to snuff out the candles. The table darkens between them. After a moment he sees her eyes are faintly glowing... in fact, she is faintly glowing, limned in something like a faerie fire, defining her features - but more indistinct. Her voice comes from the darkness between them, "I come from a long line of Kelesh people. None in my family, in any record, or living memory, glows as you see. It is an indicator of something Celestial in my bloodline. Another gift of Sarenrae."
She relights the candles and sits back. "From the time of my first memories, I have known my path. I have always walked it. Before I studied and took on the mantle of Surya-ka-Vahaak, I knew that I was Surya-ka-Vahaak. Some would call all this fate - Sarenrae forcing me to do her bidding. But I do not. Every day, I rise in the morning and choose to follow my path. Every day. I have, many times, thought of those other roads and chosen NOT to walk them. They do not have the purpose or meaning of this path. I choose as we all do, to walk the path of evil or good every single day and every single moment. I am Surya-ka-Vahaak because I choose to be." She damps down her growing intensity again and concludes, with a note of scorn, " 'Fate' is a word for lovers who wish to moan about the choices they lack the courage to make."
Done, she sits back and takes a large swig of ale, "Sarenrae has guided me here to find you, Kord. I've traveled two years to get here. I don't know if my road ends with you or if you are just another link in the chain... Perhaps at Sandpoint or somewhere else, She will throw another clue at my feet. But UNTIL I know what the next clue is - I will dog your steps whether you wish it or not."
Overhearing their conversation, Anneke comments, "If life journey, stopping gets nowhere. We ready soon?"
Priyya looks over at the amazonian warrior woman, smiles, and then looks at Kord speculatively, "Yes, I think we have reached an accord and are about ready to move on to the next portion of our expedition."
Kord chuckles softly.
"Well, I have no trouble with ye doggin' my steps! As t' leavin', I do believe that we have one more late-comer on the way... then once our dwarf friend awakes, we can be on our way."
Kord chuckles softly.
"Well, I have no trouble with ye doggin' my steps! As t' leavin', I do believe that we have one more late-comer on the way... then once our dwarf friend awakes, we can be on our way."
Priyya looks at the dwarf, slumped asleep in his chair, saying to no one in particular, "He's an odd one to be sure."
Hearing Priyya's words, Anneke seems lost in thought. She finally says, "Something my father told once... The Great Father wove you life-skein long ago. If you hide in hole, you don't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a warrior nothing."
With that she shakes off her reverie and goes back to the bar for more meade. How does the dwarf sleep at a time like this, and who do we wait on? Priyya isn't the only one led here...
Hearing Priyya's words, Anneke seems lost in thought. She finally says, "Something my father told once... The Great Father wove you life-skein long ago. If you hide in hole, you don't live one instant longer. Your fate is fixed. Fear profits a warrior nothing."
Priyya, hearing something kindred in the other woman's tone, and remembering a question she had previously forgotten says, "Anneke, I meant to ask you before, when you were talking about Torag and your mantle as a Valkyrie. I don't know the terms you use in the Linnorm lands but are you... a simple warrior, or a holy warrior perhaps, or something else entire?"
Wiping the mead from her lips with the back of her hand, Anneke ponders your question. She leans forward to look down at herself over her chest and says, "I don't see holes, but I think maybe not simple but just not know common language good."
Deciding to make the most of the time, Paehz finds an empty table nearby, and lays his greatsword across it. His dagger is placed next to it, followed by six throwing axes, all in a neat array. Propping his bow and quiver against an empty chair, he sits down and begins sharpening each blade with his whetstone.
Wiping the mead from her lips with the back of her hand, Anneke ponders your question. She leans forward to look down at herself over her chest and says, "I don't see holes, but I think maybe not simple but just not know common language good."
Priyya tries not to laugh, "No I meant holy, sacred or maybe spiritual warrior? A warrior of... of your God?" She looks to Kord, "Help me out here - can you think of any other words for it?"
"Oh that!" Anneke seems relieved now that she understands what she thought was an awkward question. "How to say... When I fight, and great purpose take me, great power take me." She pauses but then quickly emphasizes, "But not like berserker! More like... looking at bad man and knowing he bad. More like light of purpose show way and I follow because it is best. Not like anger of red haze."
Pausing at his work, Paehz points to Anneke's wooden holy symbol.
"What of that? Whom or what does it represent?"
"Oh that!"...More like... looking at bad man and knowing he bad. More like light of purpose show way and I follow because it is best. Not like anger of red haze."
Priyya sits up at hearing this, her glow becoming more readily apparent. She grips Anneke's arm, "Anneke, are you saying that you can see or sense the evil in some people?"