Fall Off the Wagon Before the Horse

Posted on 17 Dec 2022 @ 7:20pm by Mage Kalian Winter & Warrior Martin Josceran & Warrior Rhiannon Cadash & Warrior Katya Charbonnet (Shar-bon-ay) & Warrior Skeld & Rogue Elinowy Ursulas & Rogue Nazri Arisant

3,585 words; about a 18 minute read

Mission: Hall of the Phantom Shadow
Location: Raven's Roost -> Imperial Highway
Timeline: Bloomingtide 7th, after 'Those Meddling Adventurers'

Outside the Raven's Roost, Kalian was ready to depart. He wore light leather armor, a gift from his brother-in-law Ben. The weight of the staff his grandmother had gifted him years ago felt strange. He'd never worn it openly around other people. Strapped to his back, the tell-tale clear crystal mounted at the staff's end appeared behind his head, and absorbed rather than reflected the light of the rising sun.

Kalian didn't have much experience with driving a horse-drawn wagon, but it couldn't be that difficult… right? He looked to his friends as they emerged from the tavern and said, "Who wants to drive?"

Rhi looked up at Kalian and then at the others. "Give me a ship and I can take you anywhere. This is not something that I am proficient in."

"I've no doubt you can take me anywhere," replied Kalian to Rhi with a wink.

Nazri's eyes cut between everyone as he shook his head. "Not me," he said, "I'm pretty good at riding a horse, not so much the other."

Then after a moment of consideration, he added, "Unless no one else knows how, or wants to. Then I guess I could volunteer."

"Oh for Andraste's sake! I'll drive." Katya said. With that, she tied her horse to the back of the cart. "Sorry thunder but someone got to drive." With that, she got up front. "Kit, perhaps you'd like to ride up front with me?"

Kithris had been one of the last out from the Raven. She just caught the tail end of Katya saying something about driving as she got in in front of the cart. When Katya asked if she would like to ride up front with her, Kit gave a nod as she stepped up to sit next to Katya. "This is much smaller than our Aravels." Kit shifts so her bow can be "used" if needs be. Her hand briefly brushing Katya's outer thigh.

Katya caught her breath as the elven beauty brushed against her thigh. She definitely had an effect on Katya. She smiled at her companion. "Aravel? Not familiar with an aravel. What's it like?"

Kit caught Katya's smile and gave one back. She tilted her head slightly and grinned. "An aravel is our home. It is a larger enclosed wooded wagon pulled by our hallas. I believe that mine would have been given to the Keepers' new First when I left. I have often thought of building a new one." She shifted so that she sat closer to Katya.

"Well I don't know much about an Aravel but I'd be happy to help you if you want. Just tell me what to do. So what is a hallas anyway?"

Kithris smiled. She liked that Katya was interested. "Halla are what we use to pull our Aravels. They are similar to your deer. (slight pause) Dear." This said softly.

She smiled at the last part. "Ohhh, well I think you are pretty dear yourself my dear!" She said with a wink as she leaned over and kissed Kit.

Kit had been a little startled when Katya leaned in and kissed her. Though being startled quickly left when this beautiful warrior woman's lips touched hers. Closing her eyes she felt feelings she had not felt in a few years rise up. Different though, not the wildfire that burned through her that summer. Slower, warming, able to stoked and shaped into something wonderful. Her grip on the magic slipped again and a flash of green light came from her eyes. (the only one who would notice would be Katya if she so desires) This causes Kit to break the kiss off quicker than she wanted. She needs to keep more control over that. Yet, it would not be easy as she looked up at the woman sitting next to her. A warm caring smile crossed her face as she spoke softly, her tone low and musical, "Ma nuvenin, da'vhenan."

"I don't know what you said but it sure sounds good when you say it." Katya had noticed the green flash. She would discuss it with Kit later when they had more privacy. She had some practice at keeping this type of secret. Not to mention there was no way she was going to let them lock up this beautiful woman. Katya was flying. Kit had an effect on her. No other woman had ever made her feel quite like this. She felt like she could fly! This was incredible. She was going to have to tell her mother about Kit. And if Kit was up to it, have Kit meet her mother.

Kithris smiled when Katya said she liked what she said. More precisely how it sounded. "It means, as you wish, little heart." She reached and took Katya's hand. "It is my way of saying that I like you. And I want to see where this will go."

"I feel the same way Kit!!" Katya said as she squeezed Kit's hand affectionately.

Kit gives Katya a smile before she starts to watch the road.

Martin had been about to volunteer when Katya beat him to the punch. Well. That was probably for the best. His only experience in the matter was driving a prisoner from Jader to a neighboring town where he had been wanted for trial, and that trip hadn't been particularly fun.

"I guess that means we're riding in the back," he said and climbed in the back. It was an easier task with his standard issue medium armor than it would have been with something heavier, although he did sometimes think wistfully of the set of full plates he'd used to wear as a Templar trainee. But he'd made his choice, and that part of his life was firmly in the past now. Mostly. He glanced at Kalian, who looked quite dashing in his new kit, and wondered how his friend would react if he ever witnessed him using Templar abilities.

He'd cross that bridge when the time came, he decided. It had been so long, he wasn't even sure he'd still manage a smite. Not without leaving him knocked out for the count, surely, so it would be a last resort. One they hopefully wouldn't need.

Looking back he offered Nazri his hand to help him hop onto the cart.

Nazri could have made it on the cart himself, but he took Martin's hand anyway and allowed himself to be pulled up The hand was calloused and worn, but warm and comforting at the same time. He met the other man's gaze as he took a seat dropping his bow and quiver carefully on the floor of the cart.

Skeld breathed the morning air deeply as he stepped outside, exhaling it in a fine mist like a dragon breathing fire, and secretly impressed with how thick the mist was. No wonder he had growled at the window this morning; there was a bite to the air, and he'd slept naked with the window open.

His axes marked him again as different in this city; Orlesians tended to carry pretty, thin swords, which often enough proved mostly decorative when meeting a full-weight battleaxe crashing down on them. His rune axe was strapped to his back, a comforting weight that most would struggle with but Skeld managed easily. The two bearded axes at his hip were not insignificant, either, better for close combat. His soft leather with chainmail armour, which he had donned before leaving the common room, was more maneuverable than the average plate armour of the templars and guardsmen and allowed him to move pretty fast on the battlefield; faster than many would guess, at least, and that often was the advantage needed to catch them off guard. It too had been inscribed with runes and designs matching his skin; to any that had seen both, there was no mistaking who owned his armour.

He climbed into the back of the cart, sprawling into a corner and resting his long axe against his thigh and shoulder, his arms resting on the wooden sides of the cart. "Ten silver to whoever kills the ghost first," he said, yawning.

"Hey! Be careful back there Skeld! Thunder can be skittish sometimes to people he doesn't know!" The horse in question, who Katya had tied to the back of the cart whinnied when the large man came close and dug at the ground with his hoof. "Easy Thunder. He's a friend." This seemed to calm the horse down.

Skeld laughed, leaning down to look the horse in the eyes. "My apologies, I mistook you for a big dog!" he laughed, before standing to his full height. "A horse named Thunder who's afraid of strangers... when most horses are afraid of Thunder. You have an odd name, my friend," he added, before backing off from the horse to take his place in the cart.

Thunder eyed the large man as if insulted by Skeld's remarks.

"Hey bite your tongue Skeld! Thunder is fearless! He doesn't like people he doesn't know! If you aren't careful, he's liable to take a chunk out of you!" Katya said.

Rhi watched as Skeld made his way into the cart. He took up quite a bit of it. This was one of the few times that being a bit smaller than most was a good thing. She made sure that Kalian had enough room.

Kalian settled in next to Rhiannon and wondered if Skeld would entertain them with a story on the wagon ride.

"Say Kalian, you have any apples? I'd like to give Thunder a couple. He's been very good and deserves a little reward." Katya said with a smile.

Now, that was a question he wasn't asked every day. Whilst it was tempting to ask how often Katya filled her pockets with apples, Kalian noticed a couple of sacks in the wagon and opened them. "No apples, but it looks like the groom left a bag of grain and a bag of carrots for the wagon horse. He broke off a chunk of carrot and offered it in an open, flat hand to Thunder. The horse hungrily took the carrot. and whinnied for more. Kalian chuckled and fed the rest of the carrot to Katya's cheeky horse.

Thunder gladly ate the carrot

Elinowy lifted her hood up covering her flame-red hair as she departed the Inn. Unlike her companions, her equipment was light. She carried only a small bag of healing herbs. Her scarlet robes were the only protection she had, beyond her steadfast faith in the Maker, and a little reliance upon Kalian's gifts if need arose. She watched the elf woman climb into the driver's bench alongside Katya. That would make the trip a bit more pleasant, still, there was the Qunari to deal with. She saw him climb into the back. She said a small prayer to the Maker as she approached the wagon. With little difficulty, she boarded the wagon with as much gracefulness as one could board a wagon. She had made up her mind to ride in the back of the wagon so she might extend blessings to the citizens of Jader they passed on the road and to avoid the smell of the wagon. Yet upon entering the wagon she saw the big man Skeld, sprawled out at the top of the cart's bed. She was eager to know of his knowledge of far-off lands and mystic runes such as covered his body. She drew the hood a bit against her face as she settled in next to the big man. "The Blessings of the Maker be upon you," she said in greeting. "Do you mind if I rest here," she said indicating the space next to him his massive leg splayed across.

Skeld looked up, surprised to hear her voice, and quickly moved to make space for her. "Of course, please - my wagon is your wagon," he added, though it was of course not his at all. "Blessings of your makers upon you as well," he added, yawning. "You seem an unusually savory sort to be riding with Kalian's group, I did not expect a priestess - apologies for any offense my ways may cause," he added, as politely as he could. "How did you come to be stuck with a group with people such as myself?"

Carefully allowing her scarlet robe to fold beneath her, Elinowy settled down into the space cleared by the big man. "Thank you kind Ser," she replied.
The wagon was not as uncomfortable as she had anticipated, although they had not gotten underway as yet. "I am only a humble sister. We are all priests of the Maker in our own way by his will," she said in cryptic theological niceties. "I take no offense. I have been in far greater adversity before, and Kalian is good company when heading into trouble. You appear capable to take care of yourself as well. Tell me, your tattoos, are there stories for each? Like that one. Why did you get that?" she said innocently, pointing to the glyph on his shoulder matching the one that had been placed on her abdomen.

Skeld looked up as he folded his mail jerkin, curious at her atttention. He had grown accustomed to some Orlesian women, usually after several drinks, asking about his tattoos as a way of seeing just how much of his body was covered in them. Normally these were the rich, aristocratic sorts who wanted to explore a bit of passionate, savage love making on the side because they'd read about it in a book or heard about it from some bardic tale and didn't even know what that meant. Of course, the odd Chantry initiate would ask - women questioning their choice of life path and wondering just what they were missing out on; most of them were far too young for a man of Skeld's years, and while the woman across from him was not so young as to be in that group (despite her fair features, he assumed she was between her late twenties and thirty), she was still much younger than him, and sober to boot (he assumed). But something told him her interest was less about where his runes went and more curiosity for where they came from... or maybe something else.

She had picked an odd choice for conversation; the 'tattoo' in question was part of a runecircle that encompassed the entire shoulder; a ring of runes around an inner ring that encompassed a stave of sharp lines in angular designs that radiated out from a core rune that was itself encased in a circle of vines. There was a similar, yet distinct design on his left shoulder as well, notably one without that particular rune, though she could only see a small portion of the right shoulder, with the rest of the whole hidden by his shirt; his shoulder had become bare as he took off the mail tunic, and he had neglected to put the shirt back on properly out of sheer laziness. The runecircle was the outer ring of his first Úlfhéðnar stave. She was pointing to one very specific rune, though he doubted that she understood anything about it; that said, taken out of context, that one would be confusing... Or misleading, depending on the reader.

"Stories..." he began, making a point to follow her gaze. "Ah, well - many do; stories of mine, stories of the tribes, the stars; but that one - that one is just the names of a pack of dogs," he said, exposing it a bit more so she could see that the ring continued around. "This one is Ulf, a good dog, very loyal; we'd hunt for days together. But dog days are not the same as people days, and Ulf is no more; so he is remembered here," he said, patting his shoulder fondly. "His brothers and sisters are lined along the ring. And the center - that's called a 'stave'; this one means 'Remember'," he added, giving her a few moments before raising up his shirt to cover his shoulders, faking a shiver as he did so. "Have you an interest in tattoos? If you like, I could give you one. I learned a bit of the art myself in Antiva. I have my needles... in the Roost somewhere," he added, with a pleasant smile.

While the big man removed his shirt, the comely sister began to wonder if she had begun something she was not prepared to finish. His muscular torso was covered with intricate tattoos of unknown meaning or origin. As he pointed a the one and explained it was the name of a dog, she looked dumbfounded and deeply perplexed. Why would the Grand Cleric have her servants put 'Ulf' on her stomach? It made no sense. She began to grasp at anything that might give the information some meaning. "What language is the name Ulf? Do you know what it means?" she inquire silently praying this didn't take an unpleasant turn.

"It's not a very imaginative name, I'm afraid - it just means 'Wolf'," he replied, laughing. "And as for the language, those that speak it call it Skeine. They say it is the language of fate, but mostly that's just because everything you say in it sounds like a prophecy when you translate it into Common," he added, putting his shirt back on properly, to her obvious relief.

As to his question. She smiled sweetly at him. "No. Thank you, I've had enough of receiving tattoos. Bless you for the offer." she shuffled in her place uncomfortably.

"Well, if you want one to add to the collection, let me know," he replied, as he reached into his pack and produced a stone to hone the edge of his axe with; the perfect way to pass the time as the cart rumbled along.

Kalian looked around at his group of friends. Katya and Kithris were obviously attracted to each other and rivaled Rhi and himself for public displays of affection. Martin and Nazri had struck up a friendship. And Elinowy had taken a surprising interest in Skeld. This was already shaping up to be an interesting day. He called out to their volunteer driver, "Katya, I think we're ready to get moving."

"Alright then! Here we go! Giddyup!" Katya said as the cart started moving!

Rhi noticed Elinowy when she came out of the Raven. The sister knew how to make an entrance, even when it is outside. She could see that the sister had decided to sit in the back. This kinda surprised Rhi. Though her surprise was short-lived when Elinowy sat down next to Skeld. Now that was interesting. She glanced at Kalian, gave him a smile, and snuggled in. Without looking up she said, "Don't let me sleep." As she closed her eyes.

Kalian wrapped an arm around Rhiannon affectionately. "But I like watching you sleep," he whispered into her ear. With Elinowy, Skeld, Martin, and Nazri all in the back of the wagon with them, he was content just to hold her.

Rhi chuckled a little. Her voice low as she snuggled in a little closer, hand near the hilt of a hidden dagger, "I know you do."

Nazri turned to his new acquaintance Martin and said, "So, what do you think we'll find when we get there?"

"Well, if we were lucky, hopefully, a perfectly reasonable explanation for what our witnesses saw that doesn't involve any fighting," Martin said with a snort, "but going by our usual luck... maybe I wasn't so far off when I mentioned that dragon thing." He shook his head and spared another regretful thought for his old set of plates. "Jokes aside, I wouldn't be surprised if a mage was involved. Can't think of anything but magic to make this sort of thing happen. The question is what kind. Apostate, dalish... a reasonable guess would be an apostate who found refuge with a group of bandits but we can't know, really."

"These things, assuming they are real, don't just show up on their own. Someone has to summon them. I'm not too worried whatever the source, I'm sure all of those here can deal with whatever threat," said Nazri.

"Sounds like Necromancy to me. Or even blood magic. Though, I don't know much about either," said Kalian. His grandmother had told him how, at least in theory, blood magic worked. But she had warned Kalian against any attempt to use such magic. "Nor do I want to."

"I don't blame you Kalian! That's bad business! Whatever it is, we will deal with it!" Katya said.

Rhi shook her head slightly. "Blood magic." She spits off the side of the wagon.

Kit had been thinking about what could be bring up ghosts and such. She knew that blood magic was more than likely to be involved. So when Kalian made a comment about blood magic she stiffened a little.

Skeld looked over to Katya and gave a consoling look. "It is fortunate I know the secret to ending blood magic; take one axe, apply to face... wipe off blood. Works every time that I've had cause to try it," he said, his shoulder propping up his runeaxe a little higher than before as if to volunteer it for this function.

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