(Quest) The Long Haul [Taletha, Rawls, Tallis, Alva]

[Chevalier]

70th day of Spring, 512AV

Since anyone could remember, Syliras and Zeltiva maintained a relationship, quite, cold, and firm. A road had been built between them known as the Syliras/Zeltiva road, and it was the first road project ever undertaken by the Knights and the craftsmen of Syliras. Now more than ever, each person in attendance gave prayers to their respective Gods and thanks to the men and women of old, for it was that well worn road that would make the trek from the City of Knowledge to the Castle City that much more tolerable.

Upon the road a massive group of people could be seen, mostly of Human origin. All in total the casual eye would survey some eighty individuals. Rarely had a convoy of this magnitude traveled such a distance, but these circumstances were not so common. The Djed storm of 512AV had forced everyone's hand. Zeltiva needed food, and Syliras needed men. Having lost many of their best Mage's which had bravely erected barriers and stabilized the effects of the Djed taint, Syliras was now in a position of requiring folks to become Warrior Mage squires to fill those roles.

Dozens of horses, upward of six carriages, and twenty men and women of the Syliras Knights had been assigned to guard the convoy of food up to Zeltiva, and now the large group of people back to Syliras. Two full Wings of Knights were kept in check by one Sergeant each. The first Sergeant was an infantryman. A dashing and articulate man well versed in warfare and swordsmanship. His name was Adamal Brinkaas. The second Sergeant was a giant, scarred man with a knowledge of the arcane. His name was Alero Tynar. The final man heading the entire group up appeared as a short, squat, scarred fighter. His ugly face was covered in marks, and the rest of his body had seen better days. Indeed this was the mortal seeming of the powerful Warrior Mage, Stewart Knight Equuleus. Beneath them a group of Knights and Squires remained ready to protect their wards at all costs. This was the defining moment in Zeltiva/Syliras history, a chance to tighten an otherwise quiet and cautious past alliance.

Little was said by the Stewart Knight. Instead Sergeant Brinkaas was delegated to prepare the people. "Alright everyone." he began from atop his horse, riding past a few individuals that formed the long line preparing to move out. "I am Sergeant Adamal Brinkaas, and we of Syliras thank each and every man and woman whom has chosen to join with us today. You are all brave and inspiring people, and your choice will bring about a new chapter not only in your lives, but in the lives of all those from Zeltiva and Syliras." With a sweeping motion the man dismounted his horse and handed the steed over to an awaiting squire, so that he may better address the people at eye level, "On the other side of this road lies the City of Syliras, and it is the task of the Syliran Knights to ensure you all get there safely. Once there, all volunteers will immediately be inducted into the Order as Squires, and will have all of the rights of any Syliran citizen, and all of the privileges of the Syliran Knights. You will each be given a Patron which will help guide you in your training, and allow you to become the best, strongest, and most honorable reflection of your inner desire. Should you have any questions on our travel, do not hesitate to ask myself, or if you are feeling brave, my cohort Sergeant Tynar." the last comment had a few people chuckling. A wide birth was given to Tynar no matter where he went, where as people seemed to gravitate toward the kind and jovial manner of Brinkaas.

Adamal looked up as a light pattering of rain began to fall down upon the group, leaving him smirking, "Well, it seems like Lady Makutsi has chosen to grace us with her divine presence. Perhaps she shall watch over us. Without further hesitation, let's move out! We travel from dawn until dusk every day, with stops each bell to rest briefly and do a head count." At the words 'move out!' several shouts came from the Knights, prepared to return home to the city from which they came. Turning toward the young lad that was the same squire he had handed the horse over to, Adamal spoke quietly, "Take the horse, I'll go on foot for now. It's been a while since I've gotten the chance to march this distance." With that, the journey began. The wheels of the carriages creaked into motion.

OOCAnd off we go. Feel free to introduce yourselves to one another or do whatever you wish in the meantime. Scout the area, gather food, check for impediments in the road, socialize, etc. Just don't stray too far from the caravan. New challenges will be presented everyday that will require a variety of skills to overcome. Due to the sheer length of the journey, I will be posting the timestamp at the start of my posts to allow people to know just how long they have been traveling. There will be a 2 week deadline for each update from me. If everyone posts before then, I'll do my best to update promptly. If not everyone posts, I will update at the two week mark to keep the thread moving along. This is my first large scale quest, so I hope everyone enjoys!

[Taletha Virain]

So it was finally happening. Taletha Virain stood in the light rain amidst the crowd, a stony expression on her face as she watched Sergeant Brinkaas give his speech. The girl was dressed in travelling clothes, her black hair pulled in a ponytail at the base of her neck and a light cloak draped over her shoulders. She wore her new rapier at her side, her hand resting lightly on top of the stylized hilt. A going-away present for her father. Her frown deepened at the thought, his words to her five days ago still cutting deep. She would have thrown it away if it wasn't as useful as it was. Her mother had cried this morning. Last night, she had prayed to Eyris, Tyveth, and Yahal to look after Taletha in Syliras. Taletha had joined her, mainly because it made her feel better. She personally didn't devote herself to any of the gods, but the Knights worshiped those three, so she guessed that she soon would. She and her father had exchanged polite nods and pleasantries before she left, and he had given her money. Because, of course, it would look bad if he hadn't. Since that was the extent of their usual dealings lately, she accepted his money. After all, her going to the Knights was going to give him good publicity, or so he put it. She snorted softly. At this point, she didn't care anymore. The rapier was beautiful, so she kept it. The money was useful, so she kept that. But she didn't need anything else from him, and wouldn't need anything from him again. This was her life now. She would work just as hard as she had in her merchant studies, but this time, she would be doing it for herself and not for him. She had drawn a few glances as she entered the crowd this morning, mostly from those recruits who were from merchant or trading families like she was. It didn't surprise her. As far as trading and wealth went, the Virain family was fairly well-known. She ignored them for the most part. Let them stare, let them wonder why Deirn's pretty daughter had volunteered for the Knights. She hadn't embarked on this journey to make friends. Just to get away. Taletha pulled the hood of her cloak up against the rain as the Knights called for them to begin moving, beginning to walk. She cast one last look behind her at the city she had known her whole life, then focused on the long journey ahead. It would be tough, she knew, and a lot of those who knew her from Zeltiva would probably expect her to drop out. But they didn't know her, and they didn't know how stubborn she could be. She said a small prayer for her mother, feeling a little bad about leaving the woman in Zeltiva, but knowing that she would be alright. For her part, she decided, she wouldn't return until she was a full Knight. That in mind, Taletha continued to walk.

[Alva Whiteshield]

They were returning to Syliras. Alva couldn't help but feel relieved at the thought of finally going back to the city she knew, and to see her aunt again whom she was beginning to miss dearly. The squire had never been on a journey this long before and entering the wilderness still made her somewhat nervous. Yet she made sure to ignore any butterflies in her stomach and to play her part as best as she could. It was a great honor to be allowed to help out on such an important quest, and she did not wish to let anyone down, especially Yahal. The god was still teaching her, teaching her to be strong and to have courage. She had a lot to learn.

Light rain pattered against her breastplate by the time Sergeant Adamal Brinkas finished his speech, his words bringing a smile to her lips. He had a wonderful way of lightening the mood of the group, brightening the hearts of those who were leaving their homes behind. She admired the man for many reasons and was determined to learn as much as she could from him while the journey lasted.

She nudged her grey dappled horse forward as the crowd moved out. Her steed was big, strong but with a gentle temperament that made her love him as she still lacked experience as a rider. He bore the name Dusty and she found herself wishing that his owner had found a more suitable name for such a noble creature. Perhaps something dashing like Storm or Lightning. But she guessed imagination was not a requisite to be part of the Knights of Syliras.

She moved at a slow pace down the road, her gaze gliding across people's faces with interest. She enjoyed reading their expressions, wondering what was going through their minds and what they were leaving behind. One dark haired girl in particular tickled her curiosity, perhaps because of the hard look in her eye and the fact that other people were glancing her way as well. Was she someone important in the city of Zeltiva? She looked young. Was she traveling alone?

The rain continued to soak through her hair, making it cling to her face and neck. She averted her eyes to the road ahead, now and then glancing to the crowd to make sure everyone were faring well. She could hear someone sobbing softly behind her and though her heart reached out to them, she knew it was best to let them cry it out. All she could do was pray to Yahal to watch over them and to give everyone strength in both body and spirit. They had a long journey ahead of them.

[Harper]

Harper's life had become a whirlwind of crazy. She joined the Knights, and then things just all fell to shyke. The great Djed storms came, and the entire world was left in ruins. She was one of the few mages left, and she wasn't even a full knight yet; she was only a squire. But Harper knew that she was valuable to the Knights now. She had a history with the arcane and knew much more than the average citizen. She had a lot to learn, but she was already ahead of all the new recruits they just picked up from Zeltiva. Harper put her dark thoughts behind her, focusing on Ser Brinkaas who was talking. She found him to be an odd man, but didn't mind too much. He was a skilled leader, as was Ser Equuleus and Ser Tynar. Equuleus was someone whom Harper found to be a pleasurable man. She knew that he was Ethafael, and that intrigued her. Harper wished to learn from him, if she could ever hold his attention that long. Tynar was just as interesting. He was distant emotionally, but Harper preferred that. The Djed storms had left her worn and tired, forcing Harper to retract into herself emotionally. There was no room for any error in this time, and emotions would only cause just that: error. So Harper tried her very best to be logical, leaving all emotions behind, and focused fully on the task ahead. She skimmed the crowds of people. Most looked tired and hopeless, Harper thought. The other Knights and Squires looked worried, just like Harper felt. Anything could happen at this point, so they had to be prepared for everything. She noticed a few interesting people, but no one who really stood out of the crowd. Harper nudged her steed forward, a warhorse provided by the stables back in Syliras. She didn't ask for its name, feeling it wasn't important. The horse began walking forward with the rest of the caravan at a good pace. Harper's light-armor left her feeling a little weak. Her years of Leeching had left her body in a somewhat poor shape, even though it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. It was like she had a constant cold, so she often looked pale and tired, something others might notice if looking hard enough. She looked forward with a stern, emotionless expression planted upon her face, hoping for the rest of the trip to go smoothly. OOCHey everyone, I know my name isn't on the title indicating that I'm a part of the quest group, but I do have official permission from Chevalier to participate. Just wanted to clear that up so there wasn't any confusing. Anyway, sorry for a rocky first-post, it's been a while since I've written and I'm still getting back into the swing of things.

[Tallis]

Standing near the front of the large crowd of people, Tallis was one of the few people who chose to forgo a mounted steed. He wasn’t afraid of the trek for the only weight he carried was that of his own body. The few possessions he carried: a change of clothes, two flasks of water, bits of travelling food, and a rope, were carefully stowed away in a light knapsack. No weapons clung onto him for the only weapons he knew how to use were those of the arcane arts. When Tallis had heard of the exchange, he had been one of the first to volunteer. And like many of those who travelled with him now, Tallis had signed up out of his own volition. After the storm, he had done everything in his power to help those around him, and now there was nothing more that he could do. Going through with the exchange meant that he could provide much needed food for his fellow citizens and it meant that he could further his own skills. However, Tallis still harbored many doubts. The soldiers who rode with them – the very soldiers Tallis wanted to join – carried the signs of a battle-hardened life. Strong bodies, taut muscles, hard scars; all of these marked the soldiers as true warriors. At a glance, one could tell that Tallis was a sheltered city youth who lead an active life. He was healthy where the soldiers were tough, and in comparison, he might as well be as soft and weak as a rotten tomato. Tallis wondered how well he would deal with the training that molded these soldiers. The fact that he was now walking was proof that he was already failing. He had heard that all soldiers were required to know how to ride before being granted knighthood. However, sitting upon a horse had caused him great discomfort. Tallis had never ridden before, and he refused to make a fool of himself by trying. There would be time to learn how to ride, but for now, he walked. Following slightly to the left of a carriage ahead of him, Tallis kept his eyes on the ground. He was walking in a column relatively devoid of horses so that he could avoid stepping in one of the putrid mounds of dung that they so often left behind. Happy that he was not about to be stepping in a pile of poo anytime soon, Tallis straightened his neck and looked around himself. One of the first things he noticed was the large amount of women in the group, two of whom instantly grabbed Tallis’ attention. The first was Harper, although Tallis did not yet know who she was. She reeked of magic, enough that Tallis could sense it even with his weak grasp of auristics. The other face that leapt out at him was that of Taletha Virain. Tallis did a double-take when he saw the heiress of the Virain family. Why was someone who was basically a princess trying to become a knight? Perhaps it was family issues, but then again, Tallis had never really cared for messy emotions and politics. “Oof!” Tallis had walked into someone while he was too busy observing the people around him instead of watching where he was going. When the person Tallis bumped into turned around to see who had rushed into him, Tallis was looking right into the face of none other than Sergeant Adamal Brinkaas. Standing upright and giving a quick salute, Tallis quickly stammered out an apology. “Very sorry, sir. I didn’t expect you to be walking…” OOCSorry for the delayed reply. It’s been a hectic two weeks for me! Thankfully it’s Victoria Day, so I finally had the time to finish this. I look forward to getting to know you all!

[Chevalier]

"Hmm?" the Sergeant turned about to see a young man stuttering out a response to his actions, his unshaven face couldn't hide his wide grin, "You don't need to start with all that quite yet. Right now you folks are along for the ride, we'll do the heavy lifting in the meantime. That is until we get back to Syliras, then the hard part starts. Even I need to walk from time to time anyhow, don't want my bones to get all rusty from sitting a top a horse, right?" Brinkaas responded. He seemed outwardly to be a very personable fellow, and this was no doubt the reason he was chosen to be the 'voice' of the Knights on this mission, despite yielding in rank to Stewart Knight Equuleus.

75th day of Spring, 512 AV

It had been five days of traveling, and at the very least the group could tell for certain the Knights knew what they were doing. The sun was just kissing the horizon, preparing to set for the evening. It was a good thing too, as Scouts had informed Sergeant Brinkaas that the road ahead was flooded with an unusual amount of rain. It would take some time to find a way through, or they would risk getting the wagons stuck in the mud. "Hold!" shouted the military man, causing the various drivers to stay the horses, "We'll be camping off the road here. Dig in!" he shouted, and all at once the Knights got to work.

'Dig in!' had become something of a ritualistic command that the folks for Zeltiva were now learning about. Whenever the Knights set about making a camp, they quite literally did dig in. Trenches and pits were dug, and long sharpened stakes were jammed into the ground like portable ramparts. Each night they stopped the first two bells was dedicated toward setting up an appropriate camp. The pace at which they worked showed signs of lives shaped with drills and most importantly, teamwork. They always accepted help from those not yet completed in their Squirehood, but never demanded it.

"Alright everyone, gather 'round real quick!" called Brinkaas as he wiped a layer of sweat from his brow, having just gotten done showing a squire how to properly dig a trench. "One of our scouts have indicated that we've got a bit of trouble ahead. The road appears flooded with all the rain recently, not to worry though, we'll work through it. It's a good opportunity to learn a thing or two. I'm requesting a few volunteers to help out the scouts, check the area ahead, and try to find a work around. You'll be accompanied by two of the best, so consider it a chance to learn some tricks of the trade in scouting."

"Ser Carter, Ser Danhiel, you'll be taking anyone who wishes to accompany you ahead." Brinkaas said, causing two Knights nearby to glance toward him. One offered a nod, the second a bit of a sour expression. The more amiable Knight was a lanky but grizzled looking fellow, his armor not doing much to fortify a clearly narrow frame. The sour Knight was in fact a woman, although her hair was cut in a short style and she preferred the title 'Ser' to "Sera'.

"I could also use anyone willing to go with myself and Ser Monsel, we'll be seeing what we can gather either by the hunt, or through gathering of edibles. If you wish to be a part of this evenings labors, meet up with myself and Ser Monsel, or Ser Carter and Ser Danhiel in ten chimes. As always, the Knights appreciate any help and are more than willing to share what knowledge we have." with a curt nod, Sergeant Brinkaas got with Ser Monsel, an ebony skinned Human in his late thirties with incredibly thick hair tied back into a pony tail, while Ser Carter and Ser Danhiel began preparing horses for themselves and any that came with them.

OOCAlright, this is the first 'experience/challenge' date. Everyone has a choice, they can either go with Ser Carter and Ser Danhiel and learn some Scouting basics, such as riding, observation, wilderness survival, and land navigation, or go with Sergeant Brinkaas and Ser Monsel and learn some Hunting basics, such as hunting, stealth, wilderness survival, and tracking. Everyone can be a part of the same choice if they wish, so just pick whichever one interests you more. Each choice will have it's own...surprises as well.

[Harper]

When Harper heard Brinkaas shout "dig in," Harper automatically snapped out of her daydream. She had been in a lull for the past few days. Everything was running together. She was exhausted and had a nasty cough, and found herself to be cold due to the rain. She wanted to be next to a warm fire eating a bowl of soup, but she knew she had work to do. 'Digging in' meant something different for Harper than it did for the other knights. Harper is small in frame with almost no muscle-mass. Physically digging in for her would be more than difficult, probably impossible. She had to get a little creative in order to help out. She jumped off of her horse and walked over to the edge of the caravan when hardly any people were. For those few that were around, she would warn them away, explaining that things could possibly get dangerous for a while. When the areas were clear of people, she would begin to focus. She gathered her mental strength, clearing her mind completely of all emotions and petty thought. She focused on a single point of the earth, and began opening a portal to the Void. The portal took about eight seconds to become the size that Harper wanted, about the size of a large man. It hovered about four feet above the earth, an eye into the Void. The Void was the same as it always was: completely devoid of matter, light, and energy. It was nothing. Harper began to create a Pull from the portal, loosening small amounts of the earth first. The process of loosening the mud made it look as if the earth itself was boiling, like water in a pot over a fire. Once a large amount of the mud was fairly loose, she increased the force of the Pull, completely separating the mud from the ground and siphoning it into the Void. Harper continued this for a good while, digging about three feet into the ground around a teen foot radius, moving the portal inch by inch while "digging" more and more out. After five minutes or so, Harper reverted back to her old concentration habits--swaying back and forth chanting a mathematic equation--finding it more and more difficult to maintain the connection with the Void. After about ten minutes of digging, she opened her eyes and closed the portal. Harper gleaned a small grin, proud of her work. She then felt something dripping out of her nose, reaching up only to feel that she had gotten a nose bleed. Harper then realized how exhausted she was, noticing that she had overgiven too much and had a difficult time moving. Every inch of her body ached. ~~~ Harper had been resting for a good while, watching as the other knights set up camp. She felt bad that she hadn't been more careful with her magic use, and wished she could help more. She heard Brinkaas call everyone's attention again, and slowly got up from her seat next to her horse and walked over to the crowd. After hearing Brinkaas' explanation, Harper knew that she wanted to go with Ser Monsel and him. She wanted to learn about hunting and gathering; it was something she had yet to learn as a squire and greatly desired to do so. After the crowds had somewhat cleared, Harper walked up to Ser Brinkaas. "Ser, if you would have me, I would like to accompany Ser Morsel and yourself, if you don't mind. I am eager to learn." OOCI kind of took a creative risk on this when it came to Harper "digging trenches." I hope everything I wrote made sense. If there's anything about it that doesn't or doesn't line up with some guideline, please let me know and I'll edit it out.

[Taletha Virain]

Taletha took a deep breath as Ser Brinkaas called the knights to dig in, coming to a stop. They were five days into their travels now, and she had officially done more walking than she had ever done in her young life. Syliras was still a long way ahead, though, and they weren't done yet. The former heiress watched as the Knights began the ritual of setting up camp. She wasn't strong enough to pitch in with any of the digging, and she had observed early on that they followed a strict system, so without knowing what to do, she would probably get in their way. After a few moments, though, she walked over to one of the groups and started handing stakes to the Knights that needed them, making sure to stay well out of the way. Even though she didn't do the brunt of the work, she had made it a point to help out each night. She didn't want the others to start saying she was riding on her status and wasn't pulling her weight. Once the work was done, she walked towards the group that gathered around Ser Brinkaas, listening to what he had to say. She frowned, folding her arms. So it was a choice between scouting, or hunting and gathering. Taletha knew that it was entirely voluntary, but she wasn't going to stay at camp and do nothing. She wanted to prove herself as a knight, and contrary to popular belief, Taletha Virain was not afraid of hard work. Just because all of the hard work she had had to do in the past had been mental and academic, it didn't mean she was unwilling to do physical labor to reach her ends. That in mind, she placed one hand on her rapier's hilt for reassurance, and walked over to Ser Carter and Ser Danhiel. "I'm willing to help if you'll have me," she said. Her tone was polite, but it had a slight condescending edge to it. It wasn't that she didn't respect the Knights, because she did. It was just the way Taletha had learned to interact with the rest of the world.

[Alva Whiteshield]

Digging trenches was something Alva was quickly getting used to, and it was a nice change from being on horseback all day. It was also nice to work as a team, though she tried not to pay attention to how she must look with mud staining her leather skirt all the way to her knees. It was even in her hair and splashes of dirt had made its way to her neck and face.

When Brinkaas called everyone over she quickly wiped the dirt from her face and hands. Somehow she managed to look at least half decent before approaching her superior. She was not among the first to volunteer for one of the tasks however, and even though she knew it was honorable to help out, she hesitated in her decision. A familiar feeling of self-doubt shot through her as she wondered what they might encounter away from the main group. One memory in particular bothered her, one where her courage had failed her when she needed it the most. That time it had also just been a simple task to perform, but it had gone terribly wrong. She shut her eyes for a moment, then shook her head, banishing the images from her mind.

This was a simple scouting mission, a wonderful opportunity to learn from the best and there was no need to bring back the past over it. She felt ashamed at how she allowed her emotions to cloud reality. Was she still the fearful girl that had somehow decided to become a knight all those years ago? She had hoped she had changed, but sometimes she wondered if that same fear wasn't just lurking beneath the surface, waiting to show its ugly face and shatter her dreams. She worried her cowardice would one day put the people around her in danger. Alva prayed to Yahal that it would never happen. She wanted to be strong and courageous, but all those times her fear had gotten in the way had made her doubt herself, and she knew she had to overcome that.

She watched Taletha approach Ser Carter and Ser Danhiel and decided to do the same.

"I would like to help out as well."

[Tallis]

Tallis stepped back and watched at first, trying not to get in the way of the working soldiers. Sooner or later he would have to become part of the routine, so it would do well if he learned quickly. Taking in as many details as he could, Tallis finally stepped in to help with a soldier digging a pit. After asking him how large and deep he wanted it, Tallis grabbed a shovel and moved to the other side of the soon-to-be pit. Digging in with the shovel, Tallis wondered if he should have used magic. Earth reimancy and Flux were at his disposal, but he decided against it. Looking around, he could see the other soldiers sweating and working, muscles lightly straining as they unloaded wagons, set up stakes, and moved clumps of earth. Tallis knew that if he wanted to become a Warrior Mage, he couldn’t depend solely on his mastery of magic to help him. He would have to put in some manual labor. Working with renewed enthusiasm, Tallis matched the soldier’s pace. In a few moments, the pit was finished and Tallis earned an approving nod from the soldier. Thumping the shovel against the ground to remove any remaining bits of dirt, Tallis was on his way to see where else he could help when Ser Brinkaas called the group to him. A chance to do some scouting? It sounded more fun than digging holes. Tallis chose to accompany Ser Brinkaas and Ser Monsel. After accidentally bumping into Ser Brinkaas, Tallis felt the urge to prove that he wasn’t a bumbling idiot. In ten chimes, Tallis stood beside Ser Brinkaas, Ser Monsel, and Harper. The girl looked paler than she had before, and the feel of magic he got from her was more intense than it had been. Was it because she had used magic, or was it simply easier for Tallis to sense it now that she was standing closer to him? Either way, Tallis felt compelled to introduce himself to the fellow Zeltivan. “Nice to meet you,” Tallis said, extending his hand in greeting, “My name’s Tallis.”

OOCSorry for the late reply! I've just finished with two exams, but I have more coming up through the end of June. So I apologize ahead of time if I post later than usual.