Bain Breac of Nurin

[kayleth]

25, Ash 4622

Kayleth was only at the baking lodge for about an hour before he was rushed out the door and left to navigate the town. Unlike the locals here was not as familiar with the intricacies of what was where. He knew the handful of places he visited regularly but was not familiar enough to know which field was the East one let alone which East field Bain was in. The people of Nurin’s main diet, warm bread, and salty cured fish tickled his nose. Ciara had placed enough into the basket for two.

What is this woman up to? Ciara is much more fickle than I was led to believe.

He knew the sun rose in the East and set in the West and using that he headed in the opposite direction than the setting sun. Unfortunately, it was not much help. He approached one of the edges of town only to be met with rolling hills of fields as far as his vision would let him see. Ash was a very busy time for the village. Not because anyone told Kayleth but because he observed.

The pace of work picked up as well as the quantity. It must be the primary harvest time for grain. He paused for a moment taking in the natural beauty of the land. The golden color of the swaying grain in the cool air. How the many fields were being worked by several dozen men all over. He could see himself wanting to be a part of this community if he would allow himself the vulnerability. He forced down a smile that was begging to form on his face and got back to looking.

A mule pulling a small cart filled with grain headed his way. Alongside a man guiding it. He was of tall muscular build with rough features. Short hair and a forehead that hung over his eyes. Sweat soaked his shirt while dirt and leftover hay stuck to his pants. He gave Kayleth a stern look. Everyone always did but, he did not know if it was because he was Sil’Norai or an outsider. He took a chance regardless.

Why are all the men here giants? He thought to himself

“Excuse me, could you tell me which field is the East field? I am looking for Bain Breac.”

As he pulled alongside he towered over the lith frame of Kayleth. In an odd way, he enjoyed it and in another, it caused him great anxiety. The passerby stared him up and down. He had seen Kayleth before. Then again, what adult in this small town had not heard of him? He always paid, did not cause trouble, and left. He knew nothing of his values but, that much afforded him some kindness. One large finger pointed to a field just over the next hill with a single man working it. His silence said everything.

The Sil’norai looked and indeed saw a figure about the right shape as Bain. “Thank you, may the Path bless your harvest this season.” He bowed his head and placed his hand over his heart and began towards the field. The man was cautious of his blessing.

Several minutes later Kayleth arrived at a large field half harvest. He waved to Bain for his attention as the two came to meet. The man before looked so similar they could be brothers. Although, Bain was more muscular and far kinder. At least from Kayleth’s point of view. Bain was the strong silent type. He said what was needed when he needed to say it, kept to himself and worked most of his days, and was a pushover when it came to his wife and daughter. He held an air of caution even now around Kayleth but, the Elf did not take offense to it. After all, he was a stranger from a foreign land constantly visiting his house and around his family. Anyone would have doubts.

“Greetings, Bain. Ciara has asked me to bring you food”

Bain took his scythe and stuck it into the ground with one powerful swing. “Did she now. I was beggin to think my wife had forgotten about me toiling away out here alone.”

Ciara did indeed want Bain and Kayleth to spend some time together. She held a soft spot for the lost Elf and knew that Bain did too. He just was not good at showing it. They were family types with the purest of hearts.

“I see she packed enough for us both, harv you eaten yet? Don bother respondin to that. Keep me company for lunch. God’s knows I need it out here.”

Kayleth was hungry. The journey from walking to Nurrin and then out to the fields was more taxing on his energy than he thought and the spot of breakfast he was accustomed to eating left him wanting more.

“As you request, Bain Breac.”

“Quit it with that type of talk would you. Bain ‘ll do just fine.” The starving farmer eagerily unwrapped the cloth containing his wifes fresh bread and tore a large portion of it off. He stuff it in his mouth along with a long drag of water from a calfskin he had.

Mouth still half full he posed a question to Kaylth. “So, Ciara be teaching you how to bake bread. No doubt she’s probably shown use the Breac family starter. Don’t use go telling everyone our secrets now.” The large man let out a chuckle and continued to eat.

“I would not dishonor your name with such a transgression. I shall keep this secret with me until the grave.”

Bain scratched his head for a moment. Always slightly confused by the manner in which Kaylth spoke. “You some fancy nobleman’s kid or sumthin, Kayleth? Matters of fact I don’t really know too much about your past. Why don’t you tell me your story.”

The young fragmenter let out a soft chuckle, one much more muted than Bains. He took small bites of the bread making an effort to allow Bain more. “No, nothing like that. I have just always enjoyed talking in this way. Besides, most of the books I read are written like this as well.”

He took a pause and contemplated how open he wanted to be. He had no enemies here. The Breac’s showed him many kindnesses. Additionally, it would not be a bad thing to have someone to ask questions about this land to. “As you know I am a Sil’Norai. I used to live in Sil'Elaine where my people are terrorized by The Court of Dusk. Foul and monstrous creatures that feed on the blood of others.”

He broke off some salted fish and placed it on his bread morsels and enjoyed the bite. “My mother died young, well young for Elves. I killed her when I was born. I grew up with just my Father but, a disease unique to my people made his life very difficult and as a result, he died when I was around my twenties. Since then, I have been alone learning about my craft.”

Kayleth left a pause for Bain to ask.

“What be your craft boy? I can tell it isn’t bread making” He let out a boisterous laugh almost getting choked by his own food.

“Well, I was told that magic here in Radenor was highly distrusted. I do not practice any actual magic. Not enough to be considered worth branding by this country's elite anyway. I am an artificer and more importantly a fragmenter.”

The twos eyes met for a long moment of tension. Most if not all the people of Radenor were superstitious about magic. So much so that they went to great lengths to keep it on a tight leash.

“Well I don’t know what that is but, if the fancy dressin folk doesn’t want to brand yah it can’t be too bad. I just wouldn’t go using it in front of folks. They might get the wrong ideas of you. Don’t cause any trouble for Nurrin with it either.”

There was a small light of hope in the conversation but, Kayleth felt he might never be truly accepted until he showed these people or maybe just Ciara and Bain the quality of life they could have used it.

“I would never.”

Bain was tearing through his food quickly. “So how did you end up here in Nurrin. Ciara tells me you live about a fourth of a day's walk from the village.”

“Yes, that is correct. Someone from the royalty found me in Sil'Elaine and offered me the house. Apparently, it was my grandfathers whom I did not know I had.”

Bain’s eyes lit up. “Wait, are you talking abut Soll of Lanbridge!?”

Kayleth began to choke on the bread he was eating and gritted hard to swallow it. “You knew my grandfather!?”

“Nah I didn’t but I have heard of him. I’ve heard he did some great stuff for the land and even held off attacks in these parts. You should go see the Mayor, he’d be able to tell yah or know someone who could.”

All this time and there was a link to the enigma I’ve been trying to unravel right under my nose. I guess it’s time I read those letters.

The energy of the conversation seemed to shift. Kayleth could not tell for better or worse but, there was something Bain was not saying. Maybe it was just the coincidence of knowing his grandfather or the mention of magic. Kayleth hoped it was just timing but, he could never be too sure with anyone regarding those topics.

“You best be getting back to Ciarra. I have a lot more work to do here and so does she. She could use the extra hand.” Kayleth gave a simple quiet nod and packed up the things. Bain patted him on the back with a heavy hand and got back to work. The artificer observed how he would swing the scythe left to right back and forth and could not help but, think of the motion and how it would translate to runic scripting.

He was getting familiar enough with it now that he could break down a motion into many component parts and think about the matching symbol or string of symbols that would be required to make the command happen. Other things caught his attention as he walked back to the Breac home. The motion of how wheels spin on an axis and the complicated scripting it would require. How long a minute was and how that would translate in runic scripting. Could time be told through runic scripting alone or would you need some ancillary device to tell you? While he may not be able to cast magic he could easily fight a different kind of battle. One of prosperity, advancement, and opportunity.

In reality, Kayleth was just distracting himself from the multitude of possibilities that came from his grandfather being known by common towns folk. Theoretically, it made sense. He lived near and would need to get food and things to live but, the memory of Bian’s was not about Soll shopping. It was about him fighting. Kayleth pondered many things on his walk back to Ciara.

[Salen]

Kayleth

Lores
Runic Scripting
~ Rotation on an axis
~ Runic Time telling
~ Runic Memorization
~ How to establish axis's
~ Mental translation of the Basic script
Research
~ Soll of Sheorlund (Late years in Nurin)

Loot: N/A
Injuries: N/A

Points: 5 May not be used for Raw Magic

Comments: Great thread, once again if you're using an NPC that's going to become a regular plot point, it would be wise to make them as Local/Personal NPCs for Nurin.