Closed [The Sanctuary] Sand, Sea and Sweat (Roland)

[Vanator]

Timestamp: 10th day of Fall, 513 AV

Van Strolled into the Commons Within. Cadra was just leaving, and he gave his daughter a playful nudge as they passed one another. "If you see your aunt, let her know I will be down on the beach with Roland, and don't tease the dogs!." He called out to her as the girl passed down the corridor. "Yeah, yeah..." She replied, the rest of her sentence trailing off as she turned a corner.

Roland was in the Kitchen, and the Drykas entered the kitchen area, picking a pear from the fruit bowl and taking a bite. Around the munched food, he spoke. "Meet you outside the Shelter Cave? I need to grab a few things." He clapped the tall man on the shoulder and made his way out of the large room.

Vanator liked Roland. He was easy to get along with, usually laid back and friendly. Not one to anger easily, or burst into tears, there was an evenness to the man's demeanor. Van appreciated it, though there was much he still did not know about the man from Sunberth, and his past. Kavala had taken him in, Vanator seeing more to his hire than another hand at Sanctuary.

ThoseKavala was beginning to bring in now certainly had qualities that fit another purpose, one the Konti had been working quietly, slowly since before Vanator arrived. She was resurrecting the Cytali. Roland and his penchant for magic, and the Eth Caelum and his mysterious past, were certainly being groomed for the order. Vanator knew he would have some part, accepting his deliverance to Sanctuary was by divine design, as was the arrival of Cadra and Larik, and even Sybel. Until the Drykas knew for sure his part in the secret group would entail, he dutifully assumed the role of armsmaster, preparing the fortified facility and its residents to defend against the potential dangers in their future. Helping Roland to meet that challenge, too, was upon Vanator's shoulders.

The men had agreed to work with each other on some unarmed fighting. Neither of them were well versed, but they figured some sparring would help them practice and learn some things on their own. Van and a small bag packed with thick wool scarves he had borrowed, and he slipped by the armory to grab a few wooden weapons, including daggers, in case they decided to work on weapons too.

Working his way down to the large Shelter Cave and out onto the beach, the Denusk dropped his stuff and began to stretch as he waited for Roland.

[Roland Eir]

Leaning against the counter, Roland lazily pealed the skin from an apple. The thin strips of fruit sliced away unevenly beneath a sharp kitchen knife. Roland chomped away at the scraps of apple absentmindedly, saving the inner-flesh for last. Vanator entered as he took a bite, and Roland nodded to him in greeting. Though much recovered from his Spring journey, Vanator's clap on the shoulder still hit him a little harder than he'd have liked. Roland may have been taller, but Vanator was stronger by far. "Sure, I'll see you there soon," Roland said, taking another bite as the Drykas left. He was unsure of what to expect from their sparring session. Vanator struck him as pleasant enough--if a little protective at first. As armsmaster it was his job. It was a strange relationship Kavala had with her brother, and one Roland wasn't sure he understood yet. In the season that had passed, Roland had struggled to understand the dynamics of his new "family". The variety of people, with their different abilities and responsibilities was too much for him to take in in a single season. From what he had gathered, Vanator was the leader of the tribe, and in some way that gave him power over Roland and everyone else there. Yet Kavala led The Sanctuary, and in that way she held authority over her older brother. In the end Roland had been forced to abandon any hope of finding a true hierarchy here. Finishing his snack, he disposed of the apple core and began to make his way down through the facility toward the beach. Making his way, he had to wonder what the purpose of this training was for. So far his job had consisted mostly of labor: clearing trails, mucking out stalls, and helping with construction and repair around The Sanctuary. None of those involved combat; Roland had been glad of that. Roland exited the shelter cave and strode out onto the beach, blinking at the light reflected off the sand and sea. Vanator was stretching there, and Roland gave him a wave as he approached, letting him finish his stretches. Unaware of any real stretches himself, Roland settled for shaking out some of his limbs, twisting his torso a bit, and cracking his neck. Surely this sparring couldn't be too bad.

[Vanator]

The wind coming off the Suvan was cooler, tugging at the men's unruly manes and adding to the noise of the crashing surf. Vanator mirrored Roland as he too craned his neck until it emitted a satisfying pop. The Drykas looked at the tall man. Roland was a good worker, able-bodied, doing whatever was asked of him without many questions of his own. Most of them had been menial tasks, the kind of physical labor that all of them performed to help keep The Sanctuary running. But Van knew this man, if he remained with them, would become something more.

"Thanks for coming out with me Roland." Vanator spoke, his accented voice lifting over the sounds of the beach. "I wanted to work on some things that I am weak in personally, and I hoped it would also benefit you." From his understanding, The Sunberthian had no formal experience in fighting, and the invitation to spar with the Armsmaster may have seemed unusual. Vanator wanted to not only explain why an animal healing facility had an armsmaster (at least the overt purpose), but why everyone at Sanctuary learned how to defend themselves.

"But there is a larger reason why I asked you. Has anyone told you what happened here a year ago? At dusk, while Kavala had the herd out in the grass, they were attacked by Zith. We managed to rescue her and drive the herd back into Sanctuary, but the Zith set upon us in a full fledged assault. Because we had a store of arms and everyone here knew how to use a weapon, and with the Reimancy of Kavala and Leo Varniak, we were able to repel the attack. My sister was seriously injured, and easily could have been killed, as well as every living thing here, if they had succeeded. That is why I am here, and why I want to make sure that you are able to defend yourself, and us, if the need arises."

The Drykas offered a small smile to soften the soberness of his explanation. "And, I wanted some time to spend with you, so we can get to know each other. Afterall, as long as you are at Sanctuary, you are family." The Denusk's smile broadened. "So feel free to ask questions."

He squared off opposite Roland, planting his feet in the sand. "Now, as far as fighting without a weapon, I am not very experienced. Been in a few brawls is all, and whatever came to me in battle. But there is some common sense to it, I think, that we can help each other figure out."