Makings of Legends

[Sola]

Glade 20 4620

It was a crisp spring morning. Luna was wandering around town just a few blocks from the merchants that she was currently travelling with. She was actually travelling with a caravan of merchants. She didn’t mind them that much but there were some that she detested. Namely, the older men who frequently gave her the impression that they thought she would be easy to rip off. Still, she put up with them because they gave her safe passage and hadn’t tried to make any moves. She wasn’t that afraid because she had the power of Mentalism on her side.

Speaking of Mentalism, Luna had not wandered from the merchants for no reason. She’d sought out a secluded alleyway because she wanted to practice a little. She had gotten fairly good at pulling things with The Weave, but she wanted to try pushing things. It made sense in her head that she ought to be able to do this but it was easier said than done. It wasn’t as if she was bad at Mentalism, far from it. She was already to the stage where she could manipulate some emotions. She just needed a bit of practice, that was all.

“Fucking thing,” she swore under her breath as she held her hands out and focused on enveloping a piece of scrap metal with her magical powers. She tugged on it and it slid across the floor as expected. She pulled it all the way to her feet and then tried to force it away. She started panting as she’d been holding her breath. There was a lapse in her focus and The Weave faded. She swore again.

She tried enveloping the scrap metal with The Weave and pushed against it with her mind several more times to little success. She managed to push it a couple feet away but it’d been very slow. She didn’t know what her problem was, since she could pull it just fine. Perhaps she had simply gotten so used to pulling that pushing was just unnatural. A few more attempts told her that she’d made all the progress she was going to make that day.

Luna sighed and made her way back to the merchant caravan and tried to find someone to talk to in order to take her mind off of her magic.

[Velx]

The latest leg of her trip was supposed to take her as far as Chalis, although it was hard to make out what exactly was agreed with the tightlipped caravan master. She was fairly certain they would be taking her at least over the great river, but everyone’s explanation got muddied up after that. Regardless of who was asked, the answers kept shifting, adjusting to the wind coming down the wagons. Positioned further down the line, she understood her position and acted the part. She made sure all her marks of control were suitably covered even though it might’ve been too hot for the additional garments that caused.

Horse was a comfort and it was good to know that she wasn’t completely alone out here. It wasn’t a very complex companion, but an honest one. Hungry, tired, good mood, bad mood – like a book. Unlike some people at the front of the train. She was still struggling with accepting how loosely organized everything seemed to be. The hand she was dealt wasn’t the perfect one, but she had to make proper use of it.

The train’s inhabitants looked simple enough, but it was still wise to keep your bow at the ready. There were many who would bleat and meek only to bare teeth once your neck was exposed. One learned that traveling for as long as she had. It was a lesson bought either in blood or experience, and those who paid in blood seldom got to be experienced.

She hoped for swift and safe trip towards the next leg of her journey.

[Sola]

A dangerous rumor

Luna sat in a carriage in the caravan as it progressed slowly towards whatever its destination was. She was no great shakes at navigation, but she'd check a map every several days and have someone show her that she was indeed going away from her old home. Luna was filled with a mix of excitement and apprehension at finding a place worth settling down in. She had no idea what she was heading towards, and the unknown was both thrilling and terrifying. She thought back to the moment she'd made the decision to leave her home, her dead family, and her life, and how she had felt so certain despite all the uncertainty. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and let her thoughts drift away as the carriage rocked her gently down the beaten road.

The hours passed slowly and there was no shortage of gossip. There was nothing to do but gossip for people like Luna who sat in a carriage. She really ought to have been walking but she’d managed to talk a merchant into letting her ride with their family. She’d had trouble convincing him but she’d given him some money and made sure that he was happy with the arrangement by way of (non-sexual) seduction. That was days ago when they’d first met but now that they’d adjusted to her presence they didn’t mind her sticking around. She wasn’t exactly a nuisance; She sat around, listened, and chatted.

The latest rumor the merchant’s family spoke about was that there was a stomach bug going around. A handful of people had gotten sick which was a worrying thought but most people seemed alright. Luna had no issues with the bread she’d munched on all day. When she eventually ran out though, she got out of the carriage and went to walk around to find a food salesman. She’d be dressed in her regular outdoor clothing and have her unstringed bow with her, along with her arrows. She was never without those items when she was wandering about.

“You’ve any idea who’s selling food around here,” she asked an Arkanai who rode atop a horse. She added, “nice bow by the way.”

[Velx]

Looking down at the woman addressing her, she could faintly recall mention of upset stomachs around the camp. Sickness and attrition were always a general part of travel, but she still resisted the desire to pull at the hem of her shirt. Finding the position strange, craning down at the stranger, she’d dismount. The action a bit awkward, she was still showing signs of inexperience in the handling of Horse. Feet awkwardly plotted into the ground, she recalled a couple of food vendors in the wagons both ahead and behind her.

“You as well” she’d point back towards the woman. “I remember a couple close by, but eating here may not be our wisest choice. Have you heard the rumors?” she wondered how many of those were overblown. Something learned with many years on the road was that most rumors had a significant basis in reality, but mouth to mouth and ear to ear, it mutated as it spread. Hyperbole was the most likely of changes, but every so often one could find information that instead aimed to diminish itself.

It was possible that admitting the rumors so openly wasn’t very wise. And yet, if they’ve reached her ears near the end of the train, almost everyone had heard thus far. The woman’s unstringed bow reminded her that she needed to keep her own gear in better maintenance. It was hard to ever take herself with a complete degree of seriousness as an archer when there were so many other weapons at hand.

[Sola]

Don't eat the mold

Luna grimaced when Velx mentioned the rumors. It was the sort of thing that she wanted to just ignore in the hopes that it would go away but at the same time she didn’t want to die from disease in the near future. Luna sighed deeply, her brows furrowing in worry. She wondered if she ought to just deny it but she decided to trust her gut and tell the truth.

"Yes, I’ve heard of them," Luna said with her voice strained with worry, “I didn’t want to believe them but the more people that talk about them the more real they seem. What can be done though? I’m Luna by the way. What can I call you?” She was no psychologist but she had a feeling that the moment everyone found out that the food was bad would be a bad thing. Perhaps they would destroy all the food reserves, even if the food wasn’t bad. It was a delicate situation that Luna felt entirely unqualified to solve.

Luna guessed that Velx would join her as she walked up ahead to find the food vendors that had been mentioned. What she saw wasn’t comforting at all. There was some sort of argument taking place and it looked like fists were about to be thrown.

“You say this is good food?” said someone who shook a handful of food at a vendor. “I can see the mold on it. You should be ashamed that you tried to sell this!”

“There’s nothing wrong with the food, just cut the moldy part off!” hissed the vendor.

Another angry customer said, “hogwash, I did exactly as you said and my husband got sick!”

Luna’s head spun. She felt like she was in the middle of a brewing catastrophe. Had she made a mistake travelling with these people? She’d never in a million years guessed that something like this might happen.

[Velx]

Perhaps it was how the conversation left hanging without a resolution between the two, but she did follow the other woman as she moved further. It wasn’t very clear as to why, but she did catch herself wondering already mid-motion. Luna, as she discovered, was somewhat new to these situations and further implications of them. For the older woman this had felt bitterly familiar – those who didn’t eat what was on hand had the personal responsibility of feeding themselves. This train of thought encapsulated all life, not just this journey.

“Velx” she introduced herself as briefly as ever, her free hand gesturing towards her chest. She wondered why she never gave out her full name or Auna’s or her chosen name – as it might help the search for Davanor – but it always felt entirely too personal. “Many things could be done” taking note how they were both armed for food gathering, she’d nod towards Luna’s bow and tap her own. “There is always a way to feed yourself …” her further thoughts cut short by the growing commotion beside them.

The rumors they’d both heard were taking on a nasty life of their own right before their eyes. It was true that some mold could be cut off and the rest of the food eaten without adverse effect. It was also true that other kinds of mold would put you in a physician’s care even when disposed of. No one was willing for a sacrifice of this magnitude without a significant motivation. Trader wanting to move his stock lacked said emotion.

As they were arguing, other people gathered to the fanning flame.

“I bought meat from you and it gave me the runs!” said a man atop one of the carts. It could have also been the overgenerous helping of spices he smothered the meat in while siphoning his own supply, but that part was kept quiet of course.

“And you sold me that jerky earlier at a really cheap price!” another woman noticed, face going white, wondering if she’d poisoned herself on a bargain.

A few more came through to deposit similar complaints. While none of them had any punch by themselves, they consolidated into a very bad situation for the man in front of them. Vocal complaints were transformed into a bunch of angry sounds of confirmation, going quite often enough for more fuel to be deposited into the fire.

“I am not risking the food” she told Luna. “Have you ever been hunting?”

She wondered if the man was innocent or guilty. Whatever would happen along the train would likely be too harsh a punishment either way. Yet, there wasn’t a good way for her to stop them without anyone getting hurt and then keep traveling safely with them.

[Sola]

You have my bow

Luna could have settled for a couple people being angry and she still would have bought some food. But a whole mob of angry people? Something had to be very wrong for things to have devolved so quickly. The situation quickly escalated, and soon, the caravan's hired mercenaries were in the thick of it, struggling to contain the chaos. People were being pushed and shoved as the mercenaries tried to break up the fight. People were screaming and shouting and it looked like the skirmish might turn into a free for all. Hopefully it could be stopped before it could get any worse. It didn’t look like anyone had drawn weapons yet.

Luna didn’t intend to stick around and see what happened next. She took her longbow and strung it with obvious difficulty. She glanced at Velx during the process and said, “It’s looking like you were right. If things are this bad, we might as well get our own food. Unfortunately, I’ve never gone hunting before and am not that great of a shot. Have you ever hunted before?”

Luna glanced at the growing conflict after her bow was strung. She added, “I hope this is all taken care of by the time we get some food. Maybe we’ll get lucky and get something big, then everyone will shut up.” She smiled at her delusions of grandeur. She wondered what she might shoot. A moose? A bear?

In any case she intended to follow Velx if she was going to lead the way. If not then Luna would venture off the trail and start looking for something to shoot at. She had a dozen arrows at her disposal, and more in the merchant’s carriage if she lost all of those. It gave her comfort knowing that she wasn’t completely helpless. Though, she had no idea how to cook so she was going to need some help even if she did manage to kill something.

If Velx and Luna stuck together, Luna would ask, “so, where are you from and where were you headed? I hail from the Verdiven area and am going to check out other cities. I’m looking for a new home, see.” Luna couldn’t help but chat. She was a social person. She’d gauge how much Velx liked to chat and if it looked like she wanted to be left alone Luna would keep the talking down to a minimum from then on.

[Velx]

Velx was not normally of the chatty sort, but the woman seemed genuinely inviting. Her presence seemed to be encouraging interaction rather than dampening it. Allowing herself to be lured into the conversation, she would find herself open. As they distanced themselves away from the ruckus, she couldn’t help but notice the signs of escalation. The added hands and weapons they either grasped or eyed wouldn’t go down well. If blood was to be spilled, it would decidedly not be her own.

As the two moved away from the train and the beaten path, they would soon start to notice the rise in vegetation, shrubs and lower foliage at first, but soon growing in both height and density. It seemed like Luna was very optimistic of their chances. Something everyone could eat was likely either rattled away by the noise, or long exterminated for the danger it posed to passing travelers. Still, she fostered Luna’s hope as her own. Food substitute would indeed be a good way to stuff everyone’s mouths shut.

“I come from Ganeron” she extended her arm towards what she knew was northeast “Far away” she explained. She never knew much of Verdiven to truly think about the woman’s home, but she had seen enough of Daravin to believe it was not the best place to build one’s home. “I think we share the search for a home, Luna” the fact that one woman needed a new one, and another an old one, wouldn’t pass her lips. The thought still haunted her. She wasn’t sure if bringing Horse along was a good idea, but it seemed worse leaving him unattended with a bunch of riled up and hungry folk. People who were prepared to eat anything would surely ponder it as well.

“We cannot be quiet enough with Horse and our own steps and the ruckus of the trail behind us, but we can be quick” as the surrounding grew wilder, she got her weapon ready. Pulling out an arrow and holding it between her knuckles was as close to firing as could come without actually nocking the missile. Normally using resonance wasn’t her first thought when in foreign company, but she let out an enlarged yawn which echoed from tree to tree before landing back into her mind. “Four legged. Two. Our paths are likely to cross” she vocalized.

They were downwind, which was good. The beasts were at least knee high at the shoulders and not backing away from the noise they were making, which was bad. With the encounter pending, she wondered whether she’d be using the bow or herself to launch the projectiles.

[Sola]

Luna nodded at the woman’s words. “Oh, Ganeron? Can’t say I know much about that place. And yes, it seems like the conflicts of our time have sent many people looking for new homes. It’s a shame really.”

After Velx spoke again, Luna said “Fair enough. To be honest I’ll be happy with whatever we can get. At the very least we would be able to feed ourselves.” That’s all that really mattered. Staying alive. Even if things went to shit in the caravan it didn’t mean everyone was going to die. Worst case there’d just be a lot of dead transport animals and regret.

Luna wouldn’t notice Velx’s magic use, but she would be curious as to how she knew where the animals were. Luna shut her mouth and fumbled to nock her own arrow. She had magic of her own to use, but it was very visible. It was the kind to spook off an animal and it wasn’t exactly quick. Furthermore, she didn’t like disclosing that she had mentalism abilities if she could help it. That being said, she wouldn’t hesitate to use it if her life depended on it.

Luna bravely crept forwards with her eyes peeled. She’d look where Velx was looking and would assume that’s where the animals were. Luna strained her ears and could even hear some footsteps. She took her chance. She jumped out from behind cover and stared right at the boars. Luna’s eyes widened at the sight of them. She uttered a whimper but ultimately remembered to fire her arrow. It missed the one in the middle, the one she’d been aiming for. Instead, it buried itself in the side of one of the other ones.

The silence broke when it began to squeal. Luna ran away from the boars while trying to nock her own arrow. She knew she had no chance of outrunning an animal of any kind so she threw herself behind cover while drawing another arrow. She turned to fire it at the boar that began to chase her and missed spectacularly. This time, the arrow wasn’t fortunate enough to embed itself into anything edible. The only thing that was looking up for Luna was that she still had some distance between the charging boar before it inevitably reached her.

“Fuck arrows,” she muttered as she wielded her longbow defensively. She held it out to try holding the boar off while she focused on activating her magical powers. Whether or not she’d need them depended on Velx.