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SETTING:
[Hill Grove]
Thick red rocks have been dug into the ground, forming natural benches around a matching stone firepit. Trees frame the natural benches, creating a natural living space. Water dribbles from a length of copper pipe that sticks out of the rocky hill and into a small rock-framed pool of water.
The area is completely silent.
You sit down on some thick red rock benches.
ESP - Blitz: I am looking for a druid.
ESP - Danlin: Yes?
ESP - Blitz: A-ha! Found one at last! Would you please be so kind as to join me somewhere?
ESP - Danlin: As soon as I find my horse, which seems to have wandered away.
ESP - Blitz: Let me know where to find you, once your horse is found. Or, if you know the place, meet me in the grove west of Steinvattr please.
ESP - Danlin: I will meet you there.
ESP - Blitz: Much obliged -- thank you.
SOME TIME LATER:
ESP - Danlin: If I die getting to this grove because of these shadewalkers, I will be most displeased.
ESP - Blitz: They tend to stick to their own territories, further east.
LATER STILL:
Danlin just arrived, riding a sturdy bay jennet.
Danlin dismounts from her sturdy bay jennet.
Danlin sits down on some thick red rock benches.
Blitz: I see you've found your horse.
Danlin pulls the hood of her hooded cloak fashioned of thick dark green wool up over her head.
Danlin: Yes.
(Blitz jerks a thumb towards his chest.)
Blitz: I am Blitz, Son of Mountains. Thank you for meeting me here.
Danlin: I am Danlin of Tenejo Isdra. Udemi of Tse Gaiyan.
Blitz: Pleasure to meet you, Danlin.
(Blitz smiles warmly.)
(Danlin presses the poulticed bandage more closely against her eye, grumbling in response.)
Blitz: What happened to your eye?
anlin: I took an arrow to the eye for you. Shadewalkers.
Danlin: You would, I suppose, think they would allow a druid to pass through unharmed.
You shake your head.
Blitz: The Shadewalkers would've used a dagger. This must've been done by a Stalker.
Danlin: Dunwyr all the same.
Blitz: I've been trying to talk to the Dunwyr for days, but they insist on turning my rump into a pincushion.
Danlin nods to you.
Blitz: I'm hesitant to ask, seeing what they did to your eye, but could you please commune through the Gaea to ask if one could join us here?
Blitz: I only recently learned there is, in fact, two groups of druid in these lands, and I wish to speak to both of them.
Blitz: I understand they're not much for socialities, though, so it's been difficult to get a hold of one.
Danlin nods to you.
Danlin pulls the hood of her hooded cloak fashioned of thick dark green wool down behind her head.
Danlin: Nor am I.
Danlin: However, it is my duty to protect others out here along with culling those infested.
Blitz: At least my thoughts reached out to you through one of these.
(Blitz points at the pendant dangling from his neck.)
Danlin smiles.
Danlin: I apologize that I do not have much to speak of.
Blitz: No worries.
Blitz: I have much to ask about.
(Danlin rolls her head in a circle a few times, her neck popping softly.)
Danlin: I shall try. I cannot say if they shall listen.
Blitz: Time will tell.
Blitz: I am much obliged by your kind help, Danlin.
(Blitz glances at you curiously.)
(Danlin smiles softly to herself, nodding as she pulls her hood back up.)
Blitz: Have you found one?
Danlin: Now we wait. I felt Skjotur as well. He will come to us.
(Blitz 's smile brightens as he nods in approval.)
Blitz: Excellent!
Blitz: Skjotur is one of the Dunwyr, yes?
Danlin: I do not know. I have never met him in person or spoken to him beyond generally communing through Gaea.
Danlin: At least, not that I can remember.
SOON AFTER:
Skjotur just arrived.
You get up off some thick red rock benches.
Danlin gets up off some thick red rock benches.
Blitz: You must be Skjotur.
Blitz: Thank you for joining us.
(Blitz jerks a thumb towards his chest.)
Blitz: I am Blitz, Son of Mountains.
Speaking to Skjotur, Danlin: Welcome, my Gaean brother.
Skjotur nods to Danlin in greeting.
Skjotur asks, his voice muffled by a mournful spirit mask, "What's the purpose of this meeting?
Blitz: I have some questions, and I hope between the two of you, you have some of the answers.
Danlin sits down on some thick red rock benches.
Blitz: But before we begin, allow me to present a token of gratitude for coming out here.
(Blitz reaches over his shoulder and grabs hold of two flatbows.)
You take off an exquisite beech flatbow.
You take off an exquisite ebonwood flatbow.
Blitz: I hadn't expected to speak to both of you at once -- my plan was to let you choose which of these you preferred and to hold on to the other, but you may now have one each.
Blitz: White beech for the lady, dark ebon for Skjotur.
You offer to give an exquisite ebonwood flatbow to Skjotur.
Skjotur: I provide for myself. You can keep your gift.
Skjotur has declined your offer.
(Blitz nods his head understandingly.)
Blitz: As you wish.
Danlin: You need not.
Danlin: That is not to say that I am not grateful for your thinking of such a thing, but I, too, provide for myself.
Blitz: ... Very well.
You sit down on some thick red rock benches.
Danlin: You have questions. Ask them.
Blitz: I will not waste more of your time than strictly necessary.
Blitz: My journey began months ago, in the mountains of Sirak Drauth.
(Skjotur paces slowly, face turned toward the sky.)
(Danlin pulls her cloak closer, nodding politely.)
Blitz: A compelling sensation reached out to me, sometimes as clear as other people's thoughts forming in my mind, but without wearing one of these.
(Blitz motions to his pendant.)
Blitz: I didn't understand what it wanted or needed from me, so I traveled east, to Faewyr, to seek out the help of their shamans.
Blitz: They told me they weren't sure, but some speculated it was some spirit aspect, or perhaps even the Gaea itself, calling me somewhere.
Blitz: The last one I spoke to mentioned a recent outbreak of the resen infestation in these parts, and thought it might be my calling to help the land recover from it.
Blitz: He wasn't sure, though, and recommended I travel here in person, to contact the Tse Gaiyan about it.
(Blitz turns to Danlin.)
Blitz: This is why I've asked you here, and why I appreciate your joining me.
(Danlin studies Blitz thoughtfully, her brow furrowing.)
(Blitz turns to Skjotur now.)
Blitz: I'm still not sure, however, what it is I'm supposed to be doing here, nor what it was that called out to me to start with.
(Skjotur stares at Blitz through the eyeholes of his mournful spirit mask, his arms still folded.)
Blitz: This is why I've been seeking an audience with the Dunwyr for weeks now -- to see what they make of the matter, and if possible, to learn more about them.
(Blitz falls silent, glancing back between the two of you expectantly.)
Danlin: Gaea will do as Gaea will do. There are some who are called and others who will come of their own accord.
(Blitz nods slowly.)
Skjotur: You should talk to the Tse Gaiyan. As I understand, they take applications.
Danlin nods to Skjotur.
Blitz: I intend not to pledge myself to a cause until I discover what called me here, and what for.
Speaking to you, Danlin: The Dunwyr, however, are not ones to simply let you stroll through peacefully because you wish to speak with them. I do not know how to help you with gaining an audience.
Speaking to Danlin, you ask, "We have Skjotur with us, do we not?
Blitz: Could you please tell me about Reykvargr? The Rig-Jarl has told me much of the other animal spirits, but refused to speak of the Smoke Wolf.
Danlin frowns.
Skjotur shakes his head at you.
Danlin: Then you meant to contact the Dwaedn Wyr, not the Dunwyr? I am confused.
Blitz: No, I have already spoken with Rig-Jarl Bjorn. He did not have much to say the Faewyr hadn't told me already.
Skjotur: I'm no Spiritcaller. I don't speak of such things to strangers.
Blitz: Very well. Is there any way for me to gain the trust of you or one of these... Spiritcallers?
Blitz: I intend not to remain a stranger indefinitely.
Skjotur: Doubtful. If the Spiritcallers feel they should speak to you, they will speak to you. I don't speak for them.
You rub your chin thoughtfully, pondering the situation.
Blitz: These Spiritcallers -- they are Dunwyr, yes?
Skjotur nods to you.
Blitz: There is no way for me to contact them?
Danlin: Have you made your intentions to contact them known to them in any form?
Blitz: I have learned of their existence all of 30 seconds ago.
Skjotur: I can tell them someone's asking to speak to them. Don't expect a favorable response.
Danlin nods to Skjotur.
Blitz: I would be much obliged.
Skjotur: Don't be so sure you'll be glad to have gotten their attention, if you get it.
Blitz: Time will tell whether or not I'll be glad for it. For now, I need to discover my purpose in these lands, and perchance your Spiritcallers may help.
Danlin: Could I help you with anything else? I do not think there was much of a need for me.
Danlin gets up off some thick red rock benches.
Blitz: Perhaps there is...
Blitz: You two are connected through the Gaea, are you not?
Danlin: Yes. Though that is our only connection.
(Blitz grimaces briefly, but recovers and asks...)
Blitz: Could you teach me how to commune with her and others?
Danlin: I will not, unless you are Udemi.
Blitz: ... Very well. I thank you for your time and answers. Have a safe trip, Lady Danlin.
Danlin: I can teach you how to appreciate Gaea, how to work with Gaea.
Danlin: And one day, when you have learned something of druidry, I could teach you how to commune more deeply.
Blitz: Those, too, are lessons I would like to learn.
(Blitz cautiously glances at Skjotur.)
Blitz: But from whom, I'm yet to see.
(Skjotur gazes out at the surroundings, saying nothing.)
Danlin: I'll be around then. For now, I shall stable this beast and return to a grove for some rest.
Blitz: Thank you.
Danlin hops up onto the back of a sturdy bay jennet.
(Blitz dips his chin in greeting, and rises to his own feet.)
Danlin: Thank you for coming, brother in Gaea.
Skjotur nods to Danlin.
(Danlin bows her head respectfully.)
Danlin just went off into the wilderness, riding a sturdy bay jennet.
Blitz: There is much left to learn, many answers left to find.
Skjotur: I hope you find ones to your liking.
(Skjotur turns around.)
Blitz: I hope I will find ones at all.
Blitz: How will we get back in touch once you speak to your Spiritcallers?
Skjotur: They'll get your attention, if they want it.
Skjotur just went off into the wilderness.