Private Tales Old World Clues

[Aeden]

Aeden left the group silently after saying his good-night's, retiring to his room to rest till the morning.

-------------

They awoke at their usual time the next day, which was later than they'd meant to. Hurriedly, they dressed, freshened up, picked up the bag they'd packed the night before in preparation. They tore out of the inn they had been staying in for the previous few weeks, pausing only to pay the keeper, and rushed down the street , picking up speed for a few meters before launching into the air, wings unfurling.

It was quicker this way, flying over the city rather than running through, and more peaceful.

He made his way to the camp, beginning to descend where he spotted Valdr and Azlat waiting below. The old man who'd requested their help was likely sleeping, Aeden presumed, and there was no sign yet of Dauner. Aeden landed lightly a few meters from the pair of humans, and quietly stepped up to stand next to them.

Alteria Eos Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Azlat Ushus Dauner

 

[Dauner]

Dauner slowly opened his eyes as the light from the sun permeated the room through the window, diluted by the blinds covering it. It had been long since he'd last slept in a bed. No. "Long" was an understatement. After all, he'd spent enough time in the void, to have lived through the rise and fall of several ages. There was a sense of nostalgia. A long forgotten feeling, grabbing hold of his chest.
He got off the bed and opened the blinds, reminding himself that this was not a dream, but reality. A reality he'd fought long and hard to someday see again.
In the next few minutes, Dauner would clean himself up and get ready to set out. After putting on his jacket, he'd turn to the corner of his bed, where a sword awaited him. It was completely wrapped in white cloth and gave off a mild eery atmosphere that could only be sense by the magically inclined, the strong and those that had experienced a similar feeling of dread before. After he strapped the sword onto his back, the eery atmosphere it exuded seemed to disappear.
He then proceeded to a blacksmith, where he bought a long sword and strapped it around his hip, before heading to the camp, where Alteria and the others awaited.

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

"I would happily take you to my lands, Az." He mused with a smirk as they waited. Sometime later, she would draw attention to the arrival of the winged one, who had decided to stretch his wings early. It was probably best as the city was still asleep and later on, might be bad for them.

"Good morning." He would say to Aeden before looking to Azlat had directed. "Very well. Let's get you some gold, eh? More wine for you. Its an expensive habit to have." He teased her with a nudge and a wink, before leading his horse over to the old wizard.

"Hail, Alteria. I hope you had a mirth filled night." Valdr was definitely a morning person. "All we're waiting on now is.. just on time. There he is. We leave on your mark."

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Dauner Aeden

 

[Alteria Eos]

He'd finish up his portion of food when everyone arrived. Good. They weren't the type to keep an old man waiting. He rose to his feet, picking up a well-bound roll of wolf furs. There was a package inside by the looks of it. The ends were tied securely with leather strips in place of ropes. Through the whole thing was a strap that Alteria used to sling the pack across his back.

"Good morning, all of you. The night passed by too quickly, but it was just as well. Otherwise I'd be walking with you as a cranky old geezer." He let out a laugh as he did his final check to see if he had everything on him.

"I trust all of you have your travelling supplies all packed up already, so let's not waste time." He lead forward, the heavy-looking package seeming to do little in slowing him down despite his apparent age. "Have any of you explored ruins before?" He asked the group. He figured that since they were going to be walking a while, a little chat here and there wouldn't hurt, and he'd want to gauge this group's chances of getting lost in the ruins if it happened to be a large one.

Azlat Ushus Aeden Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Azlat Ushus]

“Oh look, Aeden’s up.” Azlat remarked, gesturing towards Aeden just as they descended down before her and Valdr. Azlat simply gave a nod in greeting. While subtle, it was about as friendly as she got with strangers in the north. At least, while sober. There wasn’t much competition for whatever gold might lie ahead, and Azlat forecast no need for conflict with her companions. Between that and the unexpected company of Valdr, she was in a downright pleasant mood.

"Very well. Let's get you some gold, eh? More wine for you. Its an expensive habit to have." Spoke Valdr.​

Azlat paused, then grinned. She was passing herself off as a pauper, and here her dear Valdr provided good cover with his jesting tease.

“Quite, and it would be tragic to run out.” She responded with a wink of her own. Alteria would hail the group shortly after.

"Good morning, all of you. The night passed by too quickly, but it was just as well. Otherwise I'd be walking with you as a cranky old geezer." Azlat paused, scarcely even smiling but neither looking displeased. Azlat understood, but was more taken by the interesting form of banter the northerner used than in the actual quip within his message. It held a sort of charm to it.

"Have any of you explored ruins before?" He inquired shortly after. Azlat had.

“I have, beneath a town called ‘Osteriam’. There wasn’t any gold, but I shot some peas-” She began, recounting her loosing of an arrow into a crazed peasant woman, who had taken insult against Azlat’s scathing remarks against her gods. The woman clearly wasn’t ready for truth, and attacked Azlat some days later during a peasant revolt.

Against their cruel and violent criminal overlords.

Whom Azlat had allied with.

For the gold, naturally. Not that the trip had yielded any. But she knew Valdr well enough to be aware that he wouldn’t take to a story like that kindly. So, Azlat hastily modified it.

“-ky cave spider.”

“Twice.” She concluded.

Alteria Eos Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Dauner Aeden

 

[Aeden]

"Good morning." He would say to Aeden before looking to Azlat had directed.

"Good morning." Aeden replied, flashing Valdr a quick smile and nodding at the rest of the assembled group before turning to Alteria as he began to speak.

"I trust all of you have your travelling supplies all packed up already, so let's not waste time." He lead forward, the heavy-looking package seeming to do little in slowing him down despite his apparent age. "Have any of you explored ruins before?" He asked the group.

They shook their head. "No-- I've never had reason to." Aeden had come across ruins before, but had little experience exploring them, as they'd usually been looted long before he encountered them.

“I have, beneath a town called ‘Osteriam’. There wasn’t any gold, but I shot some peas-”

“-ky cave spider.”

“Twice.” She concluded.

He glanced at Azlat. She'd most definitely been meaning to finish that sentence differently. "Cave spider, huh?" They asked slowly, raising an eyebrow at her. "Sounds like an... interesting expedition."

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Dauner

 

[Dauner]

"Hey guys!" Dauner would wave at them as he approached. The whole gang was already there, awaiting only his arrival. Aside from his swords and a few supplies and tools stashed in his jacket's pockets, Dauner didn't carry anything more on him. He had carrying sacks which would do nothing but restrict his movement. He liked being flexible like that.

"Have any of you explored ruins before?"

Dauner nodded, seemingly looking like he was thinking about it. "I think those qualify as ruins too" he mumbled. He may not have been to ruined cities or palaces or broken fortresses for exploration, but he'd explored a few natural underground cave networks.
Azlat's little slip of the tongue and the stretched out word was more than enough to give her away. Dauner wouldn't mind it, though. It's not like he even knew who this person was, and none of that had any relation with him, so he wouldn't bother himself about it. Thinking about it, he too had had more than his fair share of peasant slaying back in the day, albeit more ferocious religious fanatics and just plain dumb pawns of noble lords, whose heads also followed soon after.
"I wonder. Exactly what kinds of enemies are we going to be facing. Wraiths? Undead? Walking dead?" Dauner knew that information was always an important asset to have, and knowing what kind of opponents one would face would allow some room to prepare appropriate strategies.

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Aeden Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

"Not the first ruins, here." Valdr would reply, as he took his coursers reins and followed after Alteria. He would give Azlat a look at her... correction. But if there was any outward judgement, it didn't show.

Inwardly, he remembered her treatment in Route, so if she did kill "pesky spiders", it was probably within good reason. Simple folk were simple, meaning they were quick to judge and those with differences were often targets.

"You should hope for shambling corpses, if anything." Valdr would say. "Simple steel will hurt them, just target the head. Wraiths require silver or enchanted steel and magic. Radiant and flame work best. If, a wraith or stronger undead touches you, you'll feel a weakness. If it's a revenant, do not engage, they will typically not engage you unless attacked." He would pause to take a sip from his canteen.

"If we do see undead, there is a chance that there is a cursed item giving them unrest or.. a Necromancer is present. Either way, it would require us to be even more careful, so no touching things until its done." His gaze would drift to Azlat.

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Aeden Dauner

 

[Alteria Eos]

Alteria nodded as they gave their confirmations on their experience with ruins, or the lack of it in Aeden's case. Though he was happy to know Valdr was knowledgeable about the types of undead they could possibly face. "Hopefully we won't have to deal with either of those. And I especially hope we don't have to deal with the living either."

He didn't show any reactions to Azlat's strange correction of herself. It seemed like it was something he didn't want to dig deep into, but he decided to go along with it. "Spiders. Too many legs and too many eyes. My mother was a herbalist and kept some of them in the garden to get rid of the pests. I always hated how their eyes shone by the light of the lantern outside at night."

They soon split off the main road, towards a less travelled path that barely registered any trace of people walking through. Though some wooden debris from long-rotten carts were strewn about here and there.

"You seem to know your undead, Valdr. Were you trained to fight them or have you just dealt with them in your travels? Do say if you'd rather not tell."

Azlat Ushus Aeden Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Azlat Ushus]

"Cave spider, huh?" Inquired Aeden, with neither a look nor tone that implied they believed her. Valdr too gave her a strange glance, though she noted no disapproval. The others seemed to think little of it, which implied the explanation was at least believable. She'd never actually encountered a cave spider, but she reasoned they must exist. Either way, it was too late to change her story anyhow.

“Yes. My first encountěr with such a creat̍̀ure.” Azlat replied, committing to the shaky ruse.

"Sounds like an... interesting expedition."

“...Vē͠ry.” Azlat added.

Alteria too, would make a remark about the falsified situation Azlat had recounted.

"Spiders. Too many legs and too many eyes. My mother was a herbalist and kept some of them in the garden to get rid of the pests. I always hated how their eyes shone by the light of the lantern outside at night."

“Agreed, gruesome things. Arrows sufficed, though I find fire works best.” Azlat replied. She implied she was still speaking of spiders, though she could well say the same of handling pagan peasants.

Valdr and Dauner meanwhile, busily discussed the best ways they might dispatch the undead. Burn them, bless them or stab them with silver. For all the gold she had, she didn't carry much silver on her. But magic that might bless or burn was a tool held at her ready disposal. Valdr by the sounds of it had dealt with plenty of undead himself. When Alteria asked him to speak of his experiences in battling them, Azlat next turned to him. Attentive, she remained curious about what he had slain and what story he might have to tell.

“Do tell, Val̪dr?”

Alteria Eos Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Aeden Dauner

 

[Dauner]

After listening to Valdr share his knowledge on the kind of dangers they could face in the ruin, Dauner took mental notes. If that was how it was, then he was more than well-prepared should they meet any of the afore mentioned creatures.

He stayed quiet from then, as he listened to the others express their curiosity about how Valdr's knowledge of the kinds of dead foes. He wouldn't express his, though. After all, he'd still get to hear of it since the others had already asked.

---

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus | Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar​

---

Spoiler

Sorry for the wait. I was busy waiting for the next person to post, without realizing that next person was me

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

Valdr first offered his canteen to Azlat, surprised by the others desire to know his experiences with the undead. As Alteria first asked, his gaze shifted to him. "Both. My father was a monster hunter and battled all sorts of undead, demons, and the like. Him and our oldest Knights were. So they trained each generation beneath them in ways on how to combat such enemies."

With his helm clipped to his saddle, one gauntlet would sift through his hair as he spoke. "The Jades, the mountain range beside my lands teems with undead, so their raids against us are not uncommon. But I've faced them quite a few times beyond that. We don't hate the undead, we want them to return to their peace as most were just souls forced back into a body."

He leaned forward in his saddle to then pat the side of his horses broad neck. The barding had been removed give his courser a chance to breathe. "My last run-in with undead, resulted in myself and the Knights of Anathaeum cleansing the Mires of Landt of undead. Hundreds of them, it was quite fun."

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Dauner

 

[Alteria Eos]

Alteria grew impressed, and felt that the fates had conspired for this day. That lessened his worry when it came to dealing with the undead. Alteria himself had the magic to blast them away, but he wasn't the only one in this group this time, and it'd be another weight on his back should any of his companions met their untimely demise.

"Sounds like an enjoyable time alright. I'll be sure to find you when I need my ghosts of the past taken care of," he chuckled heartily. "I've only encountered them a few times myself. Once I almost got my head lopped off. The other times, well, I've learned how to check if the abandoned structures I find along the roads less travelled were occupied or not."

He looked over to his other companions. "And what of you two? Any interesting stories to tell? It'll be a while until we reach our first stop."

 

[Azlat Ushus]

Azlat took the canteen with a grateful smile, tilting the vessel to her lips for a refreshing drink as dear Valdr proceeded to recount his heroism against the undead. Much as her late husband had taught their son in the ways of the warrior, did Valdr’s father teach him. He even spoke of a great battle where he had fought hundreds of them within a marsh where he had slain many there. Azlat envisioned him valiantly ending the cursed unlives of many though strokes of his sword.

True to his noble nature, he held no hate in his heart when he did so. Azlat held no such compassion and would end a northerner’s life just as readily as she would their unlife. Aside from a few exceptions such as Valdr and the city of Route, all were considered expendable. Azlat could fight competently, but she was a priestess, not a warrior. She’d prepared for a life of preaching and providing guidance, rather than one of violence and bloodshed. But that sort of passiveness had gotten half her family killed, and could be borne no longer.

companions. "And what of you two? Any interesting stories to tell? It'll be a while until we reach our first stop."

Azlat pondered what interesting experiences she’d been through, and of them which might be suitable to speak openly about. She had little desire to share her tragic story with these strangers, and the reaction she’d received was enough to discourage her from recklessly speaking of Osteriam. Her unwitting hints had likely told them more than she cared to, anyhow. Yet to hold her tongue and speak nothing might make her seem inexperienced and discourage her presence. Both Valdr and Alteria appeared well traveled, while Azlat had spent most of her life within Thagretis up until a year ago.

“Few that may be interest͡ing to such a jour̨neyed adventurer as yourself. Osteriam was a rath̑er dull affair.” Azlat began. That it was dull was a bold-faced lie – there was little about getting chased by an angry mob that could be considered so.

“As I mentione͞d, there was no go͠ld to be found, and efforts were made based on false rumou̶r.” She continued. That part was truth, and the tone of her voice agreed to it. As did basic reasoning – had she found a mountain of gold, she’d not be searching for one still.

“Not that I am greedy. It is to be a div̧ine offering, added to the hoard in His hallo͚͜wed halls.” She concluded. That too was true, mostly. The first sentence wasn’t, but it was correct that the gold was not meant to be kept (most of it, anyway). Azlat planned to donate it to her city’s church to help secure the rank of High Priestess. Such a position would enable her to better help her remaining children prosper in Thagretis, and allow her to open opportunities for them they might not otherwise get. It was up to her to both raise and provide for them now, and she would not falter in her pursuit of that goal.

It was the best she could do to mitigate the tragedy that had upturned all their lives.

Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Alteria Eos

 

[Dauner]

They were quite interesting, the stories they told. Valdr's run-in with undead, prove to be quite an interesting adventure. And the word, 'fun', was more than enough to make Dauner look forward to encountering them too.

Azlat's story wasn't quite as interesting, but it did reveal some information. Dauner now understood why she had a holy aura around her, faint though it may be. Dauner wasn't one who got along too well with those who used holy powers. He was half demon after all, and this was why most of them usually try to murder him on their first meeting. The same reason several temples had been laid waste by an upset Dauner. Well, he wouldn't bite back if he wasn't bitten first anyway.

"And what of you two? Any interesting stories to tell? It'll be a while until we reach our first stop."

Dauner had many a story to tell. But few of them didn't involve mass bloodshed, whether it be on small scales, or on a continent-wide scale. Thinking of which one to share without creating any unnecessary emotions would prove to be quite a hassle.

"My life has been... too interesting if anything" he'd say as he scratched his head. "I once got locked away for trying to elope with a princess. From the adamant king to the inhumane prison guards and torturers" he'd say, shaking his head. There was no lie in his words. The king did indeed refuse to listen to his explanation, so he killed him. The prison guards treated him like shit, so he killed them. The torturers planned to inflict on him so much pain that he'd wish he were dead, so he tortured them until they were dead. As Dauner reminisced those events, he sighed.

"Good times. I ended up getting myself a princess, but the price was pretty heavy" he finished. The price, he spoke of, was the falling apart of a kingdom on the brink of war, after losing its king and just about the entire royal court. But then, that was over 7000 years ago in a different world, now just a memory.

He paused, turning to look at the others, as he wondered if he'd gone a bit hard. Should he have picked a milder story to share?

---

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus | Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar​

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

Valdr would laugh lightly with Alteria at his joke. "I'll see if I can help with those. We learn most from the near misses, so I've discovered." Valdr grinned at Alteria.

When Azlat passed his canteen back, he would offer it to their wizened companion, before his gaze shifted back to the Priestess. He knew more about her story than most within Route, and it pained him when she danced along the line of those memories.

Then Dauner began to speak about his all too exciting life. The apparently young man had earned the ire of a king whose daughter he was trying to court. A pity. "How did you make peace with them? To ensure your bride." Valdr would ask. "And where is she today?" On the surface, it seemed an innocent enough story and his questions were genuine. Once his own courtship ended, Valdr was sure his days of errancy would come to a close.

Alteria Eos Azlat Ushus Dauner

 

[Alteria Eos]

Azlat claimed that she didn't have many interesting stories, which Alteria doubted. Everyone has a tale or two worth merit. Though everyone's entitled to keep things to themselves. "An offering, hm? To a god or a king?" he'd muse. Faiths were a weak subject for the scholar, and what he knew of nobility and royalty was only from the lips of an old friend. Save for a few from gossip and hearsay.

Alteria didn't take the canteen and motioned to his waterskin strapped to his side, partially hidden by the cloak. "Thank you for the offer, Valdr, but this old man prefers his water with a bit of ginger. It helps with an old throat injury suffered some years ago."

Dauner's story sounded much like a bard's tale, Alteria thought. Running away with a princess, getting caught and ending up with the princess anyway. A bit of skepticism was in Alteria's mind, but nothing completely disproves it either. In any case, he could now say that he's met someone who successfully eloped with a princess in his travels.

This was a rather interesting group he got together.

There was a bit more inquiry to Dauner's story, courtesy of Valdr. Alteria was curious as well so he listened intently.

Azlat Ushus Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Azlat Ushus]

"An offering, hm? To a god or a king?" Alteria inquired. While she had the discipline to not introduce the topic herself, Alteria had asked directly. She couldn't help herself at the opportunity to preach.

“To a god.” Azlat replied, “No kings or queens reign over Thagretis. We are a proper, civilized t͈͟heocracy.” Her tone contained an air of superiority about it, as if such a quality made them better others.

Which she fully believed to be the case.

After all, when she announced herself as a diplomat in Route, she'd engaged in actual diplomacy. Whereas she knew northerners had simply used it as a cover to gain an invite into their city and slaughter her husband and daughter!

Thagretans were absolutely better.

“It is for the Holy Elder Dragon, a g͡rea͢t god that Liadain has forgotten.” Azlat continued. “Yet we have not. We ar͡e his cho͘sen.” She explained. Aside from those in the city of Route, few northerners knew of Him. Those who did referred to him as ‘Drakormir’, and in their seeming ignorance only knew Him as a great dragon who arrived to conquer and subdue the unbelievers. Which He certainly wouldn’t have had to if they hadn’t forgotten of Him and His consort in the first place.

Clearly, the attempt had not been successful as the northerners remained unconquered, unsubdued, and uncivilized. All due to the interference of ignorant interlopers who had denied the greater world of Arethil their opportunity to know of His grace. Alteria’s ignorance was yet further evidence, placing him among those many who’d been unknowingly robbed of divine wisdom.

“Retu̲rning with tribute would cement my pu͠sh for the position of High Priestess within the church.” She added. “Enabling m͟e to open more oppo͜rtunities for my sons.” She'd not need to, had northerners not made a widow of her. But they had, and her remaining children had only her to rely upon now. Ever at the forefront of her mind, there was truly little she wouldn't do for them.

"I once got locked away for trying to elope with a princess." Dauner spoke. "From the adamant king to the inhumane prison guards and torturers"

Dauner’s story earned a look from her. She didn’t doubt the price was heavy – that was the exact sort of thing that would normally earn one a trip to the gallows, or worse. Royalty counted for a lot – in such a great rush to determine the next in line for leadership, the backwards barbarians earmarked the next to rule at birth by bloodline. Thagretis, in contrast, had an elective theocracy. One in which the High Priest best suited to rule was voted in as the new Archprophet.

“An interesting tale. Adventuro͡u̷s and daring.” Azlat replied.

"How did you make peace with them?" Asked Valdr.
"To ensure your bride. And where is she today?"​

“I'd like to know, to͜o.” She added to Valdr's inquiry, clueless to the ancient age of Dauner's tale. There were much easier women to abscond with from the sounds of it, yet he had chosen her and rebelled against royal customs of courtship. The motivation must have been strong, and she could empathize with it. Were it required, she could think of few prices she wouldn't pay to have wed her late husband.

Or to simply see see him again.

Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar Dauner Alteria Eos

 

[Dauner]

Dauner had less than no interest in listening to preaching about a god. An understandable inclination for one who had a lot of run-ins with the divine beings. Too many to bother counting. The only place he'd rather see a god, is at the business end of his sword. But that was a feat he had still to accomplish. The gods from his world were too cowardly to risk diving punishment, and descend upon the mortal realm. Perhaps those on Arethil would be more daring, he'd hoped.

Dauner listened to his companions express their curiosity. 'I knew I should have picked something less flashy!' he thought. Well, unless he could turn back time, there was no taking back his words. But it wasn't like he could just say, 'she's dead, and I killed her father and brothers, along with the entirety of the royal court, so there was no need for peace!'

Thinking back on it, the craziness he'd shown for the sake of love, now seemed exaggerated. At the end of the day, they'd grow old and die eventually, leaving him all alone. They all did. And when they did, he'd be left to face a cruel world that sought to hang his head in the marketplace, and make a week-long festival to celebrate the deed.

"There wasn't much need to make peace with the kingdom" he'd reply to Valdr. "They were already at war, and before they could get to us, their enemies laid waste to them. We escaped in the carnage" he added, not entirely true, but not entirely false either. Their enemies did conquer them, but what they took was an already broken nation in chaos. "And as for Fiora. She's in a better place right now" he finished, with a look of lingering sadness. He didn't want to say anymore. Those were memories best left unearthed.

Color immediately returned to his face, as a grin emerged from out of nowhere. "It was quite an adventure though"

---

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus | Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar​

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

Valdr enjoyed Azlat's holy musings and they had talked at great lengths the night prior about her beliefs. Of course, she wanted to become a High Priestess.. eventually she could stake a claim for High Prophet. To make her quest more noble, it was for the betterment of her children.

The others seemed to share his interest in Dauner's tale. Now the tale didn't quite add up. Before he said he was already captured by them, threatened with torture even. Now apparently, they had died off before they got to him mid-war. A convenient shift in the story.

Rather than press the issue, Valdr would just nod his head in acceptance. Given the shift, it was probably less than noble. The singular truth lie in what was unsaid. Calamity had befallen Fiora. "My condolences." He would say, his gauntlet absently moving to touch a locket sitting atop his breastplate.

Such pain wasn't Unknown to his family, nor even those he held dear. His father had been ripped away from his mother, Azlat's husband had been ripped away from her, and now Fiora was ripped from Dauner. He had no doubts that Alteria too, had suffered such a loss.

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus | Dauner

 

[Alteria Eos]

He listened intently as Azlat spoke of her god, religion and the place she was from. It had definitely enlightened the old scholar to more of the world. He'd travelled for well over a decade now but he'd never been to Thatgretis before. Perhaps he'd try to visit one of these days.

He held no strong opinions on religion and which gods they decide to worship, but he was interested in them nonetheless. Perhaps he could ask more about this Elder Dragon once they reached the hunting outpost.

Then he'd listen to Dauner's tale. Details were few, and it was kept short, but at the end his other half was gone. "The death of a loved one, a tale so depressingly common among us who choose to leave the comforts of home for the freedom of the road. I can empathize all too well."

Alteria looked for a suitable place to make a stop. The sun was already high and by his estimations, they were right on schedule for when they'll arrive at their rest spot. "I see a tree with ample shade underneath just ahead. Let's stop there for a lunch break. Don't want any of you passing out before we reach today's destination."

Azlat Ushus Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Azlat Ushus]

Another kingdom lost to war, a fate Azlat believed to be common in the uncivilized north. And he too had lost loved one he’d dearly cared for, she could have some sympathy for that. They had escaped the warfare that had crumbled a kingdom, yet the princess had lost her life thereafter. The circumstanced seemed a touch suspect, but she didn’t dare to inquire. She’d her own tragedy, and could empathize with the need to not dwell on it.

"My condolences." Valdr replied on the story's conclusion.​

“Indeed.” Agreed Azlat. The antagonists of Dauner’s tale sounded as vile as she believed the northern barbarians to be. Valdr too knew of such tragedy with the loss of his father. The two had had moments to share their stories of loss, and it was a comfort to have another to confide in. Not all the barbarians were bad, Route had revealed that much to her. Though she knew their treachery and still held that most were. A shame the Holy Elder Dragon had not managed to take dominion over these barbarians. They could not understand how He could have freed them. How He could have purged the wicked and deliver unto the subservient a more civilized and meaningful existence.

A salvation they could not know.

"I see a tree with ample shade underneath just ahead. Let's stop there for a lunch break. Don't want any of you passing out before we reach today's destination." Commented Alteria. The idea was agreeable – they’d been travelling for some distance and could use the break.

“Sounds amenable.” Commented Azlat. As she made her way to the respite offered beneath the tree's shade she pulled out a jar of stew she'd packed, a combination of vegetables mixed with chopped lamb. It looked to be the most appetizing option to bring with her, when she'd procured rations the day prior.

Alteria Eos Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar

 

[Dauner]

Dauner would respond to Everyone's sympathies with a smile. "Well, that's all in the past, and we need to move on with our lives, right? We all do" he'd add, walking forward without a care in the world. He wasn't one to dwell on neither past nor emotion. He was rather one to live for his desires, and desires, only existed in the present. He had long since grown from mourning one beloved after another.

Death was just another part of life. Just the ending part of it, but a part nonetheless. Everyone died. And he too, would one day, that is, if he failed to ascend in time. But he had tens of thousands of years ahead of him, so there was no need to fret yet. Unless he got killed by some random guy. But what were the chances of that happening? He'd spent over 4000 years at war with just about the whole world back then, and yet none of them could kill him. It wasn't an Arethian that would succeed in that endeavor.

Noticing the tree Alteria spoke of, Dauner walked over to it with the others. Before taking a seat under the shade, he'd stretch a bit, not to ease the soreness in his muscles, but rather just as a force of habit. He'd take out some bread from his jacket pocket. It was most ideal for traveling, because it didn't rot as easily, and didn't need any form of complex packaging.

---

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus | Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar​

 

[Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar]

Alteria would point out a tree to rest beneath, and Valdr would pull the reins a bit, guiding his horse in that direction. Reaching the shade, he would swing down from the saddle and begin to remove the saddle bags and gear. Once his courser was liberated oh its burden, he would procure a carrot from a pouch and offer it to his steed.

Piling the gear against the tree, he would allow his horse to roam and relax. It was well-trained and no doubt would return unscathed. Valdr lowered into the grass and leaned against his gear, his arms resting on his knees and his closing in peace. "Smells good, Azlat. You and Dauner there could make a good combo for lunch, however."

Alteria Eos | Azlat Ushus Dauner

 

[Alteria Eos]

As the other three settled down, Alteria took a piece of bread from his pack and simply ate in silence as he idly walked around the tree, seemingly looking for something of interest. He was just looking for anything that could be useful on the road. A herb or two maybe. Were the tree the type to bear fruit or nuts, he'd have his eyes set upwards, but that was not the case. Though the thought of climbing up the branches as he'd have done in his youth did pass his mind. Though that may lead to disaster.

Once he was done with his bread, he took a spot underneath the shade and began to flip through his journal, which showed some tearing and general damage that came with being exposed to the elements, though it could have been worse off. On the pages were some diagrams of runic circles and its components along with a script that seemed to marry the common language along with the runes, that all in all didn't seem to make a lot of sense.

They'd have time to rest for an hour or two, a quick nap wouldn't have hurt, but their ultimate destination still kept his mind busy.

Azlat Ushus Dauner Rangvaldr Tal'deneshaar