The Failings of Scholars (Malcolm, Kura)

[Inali]

Saun 22nd, 716th arc – Midmorning
Outside the city of Ne’haer, on the road to Lysoria

Inali had barely made it a full break beyond the city walls before she stopped her journey short, wondering if she should continue. The Eidisi sat cross-legged in a patch of grass alongside a path leading to the Anari river. The entirety of her focus was fixed upon a hand sketched map of Western Idalos held inches from her face. She turned it upside down, then ninety degrees to the side and back again while muttering to herself in the Ancient Language. Unable to find the best path forward, the Eidisi decided to complain to Sana who stood a few feet away, happily grazing on a large patch of grass. Inali’s tone was that of a proud (and rather offended) Edisi:

“There just isn’t enough here. Damnit all, I should have hired a guide. This isn’t like the journey to Treth. I can’t just go north. I have to figure out where to cross the river and none of the books in the Academy library bothered to list average water depths in this season!”

Her mare didn’t bother to look up. Inali’s frown deepened at this. Had she been in Viden, some scholar would have recorded everything about the Anari river – water height, total length, native creatures, changes through the seasons, dangers when crossing, and so on. The book that she relied on assumed that the reader would know how to safely cross a river with a horse in tow and had the gumption to do so in Common. If the information had been within the book, it was unlikely that she could read it. Inali flipped through the other pages of the book, hoping to find a forgotten note or drawing that would help. There were none, though she had already known that before she had even bothered to dismount. She addressed Sana as she stood, petting the mare’s neck lightly as she gathered the reins in her right hand.

“We’re going to walk on the south bank of the river until we find somewhere to cross. If we find something shallow enough, we’ll cross. Otherwise, it’s back to Ne’haer for me, and back to the stables for you.”

With a nod, Inali placed her hands atop Sana’s back as the stable hand had directed her. Pressing down against her Sana’s back while her feet pressed into the earth, Inali propelled herself upward, left leg flailing against Sana’s side as she struggled to right herself. Gravity worked against her, willing that she give up the attempt. After she struggled for a few moments longer, Inali acquiesced and fell to the ground beside her mare. Sana turned her head slightly, eyeing the grounded Eidisi. Inali blushed, thankful that she wasn’t near the stables.

“I don’t need your judgement, Sana. You’re too tall. Just give me a moment to recover.”

► Show Spoiler

In case it isn’t immediately obvious- all of this is being spoken in the Ancient Language, as Inali abhors the travesty that is Common

[Malcolm]

The pair had been on the road for a while and were beyond the city walls now, and free of any noise and commotion that might upset their horses, Godric decided to start singing. He was very good, but the gesture saw Malcolm laugh, he too had always enjoyed singing away as he rode, if only to drive the rest of his patrol team back in Rynmere, absolutely bonkers.
"It's going to be a long road to Lysoria if you intend to do that all the way."
Godric smirked and stopped singing to answer. "You could pay me to stop, my crew used to."
"Pretty sure you still owe me for last night," Malcolm pointed out. "There I was expecting a nice nightcap and I see you disappearing after some wench with my coin!"
"She wasn't very good," Godric shook his head as if retelling some sad tale from his youth. "Black little stubs for teeth, hairy pits, ingrown nails--"
"I think I'll stop you right there," Malcolm felt a little green for knowing all the disturbing details.
"Had to pay her to stop, I did."
The knight laughed so hard that his horse flinched and halted in the middle of the road. "Get up," Malcolm managed to steer the animal right and get him walking again. "Oh you're good for a laugh, Godric, I'll give you that."
"That's not all I'm good for, you haven't even asked me about my abilities yet."
"I didn't think it was polite, figured you'd tell me if you cared to. You can be rather forthcoming, Godric."
"You know, I prefer the name, Rick,"
"My point exactly."
Godric looked across at the man and smiled slowly. He had a thin face that made his mouth look too big for his jaw sometimes, even his facial hair did little to hide it. "I can calm a storm," he admitted. "On land or sea, works in the reverse to."
"And yet I come across the remains of your boat after a storm at sea, with you looking like a piece of soggy, stewed pear, clinging to the breast of your ship's figurehead, with not another soul in site."
"I was angry, you can't expect a man to calm a storm when he's angry."
"Rick, was that storm your doing?"
"No!" He scoffed, a little put out. "I can't start the storm, I can only control it."
Malcolm stared long and hard at the man. "And you ended up shipwrecked, how?"
"Someone drank the last of the wine, my wine!" Godric bellowed, his brow furrowed. "I had been saving that wine."
"I..." Malcolm didn't know what to say to that. "And the others?"
"Other what?"
"Abilities, you old goat."
"Oh! A shield and psychometry."
"How do they work?"
"Draw your sword and swing at me!" Godric encouraged.
Malcolm pulled his long-sword from the sheath on his belt and gripped the handle firmly. Godric looked at him as if to say 'well? Get it over with,' and Malcolm took his swing, hesitant, he would try to stop just before the blade met the man's side, but it seemed he would never get that far. As his blade met a strong, invisible force that propelled his swing backwards on impact, Malcolm halted his mount and sat with mouth ajar.
"You like?"
"I won't lie," the knight admitted, "I'm impressed."
"Give me your sword."
Malcolm handed the sword over and and watched as Godric closed his eyes and the skin of his hand glowed a faint blue. "What are you doing?"
Godric opened his eyes and handed the sword back. "You've owned that sword for two arcs, before that it belonged to a man named William who had the sword forged and used it only the one time before selling it to you. You've killed a lot of people with that sword..." Godric fell quiet.
"Bandits mostly," Malcolm agreed. "I am a knight after all. I had forgotten William, he was my son's captain. I brought the sword as a favour to him, he needed the money."
Gdoric didn't say anymore and looked to be hung up on the idea that the man he was travelling with was capable of such terrible acts. Malcolm had forgotten his comrade was the son of Ziell.

When they came to a fork in the road, both men stopped their horses. "Are we going to Lysoria via the Salt Lake you mentioned last night?"
"No, that will take us too long," Malcolm highlighted the fault in his plan. "It would add three trials to our journey."
"Which way then?"
Malcolm pointed to the river.

The pair carried on along the bank, trying to find a low point they could cross at. The Anari river was relatively flat and flowed very slowly this far inland, but rivers were dangerous, and not to be underestimated, even when they looked calm. Malcolm took his boots off and strapped them across his chest. He could endure wet pants for the rest of the day, but wet boots was a no-go. "Guess here is as good as any," Malcolm shrugged. "Let's hope your horse can swim."
"My horse can swim!" Godric smirked. "Yours looks like the sinker."
Malcolm chuckled and looked up stream where he noticed a woman headed their way. He didn't know if she had seen them yet, but figured if she was looking for a way across the river, they might as well all go in together. The knight lifted an arm and waved before raising his voice. "You crossing too? Feel free to join us!"

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura grumbled to herself as she waited for word of what Malcolm and Godrick were up to. She had stayed roughly a mile behind the two men since leaving Ne'haer, her curiosity about Malcolm's search for Mortalborn driving her. She had to know what the Rynmere knight wanted with Mortalborn, whether his intentions were fair or foul. So far, though, her familiars, which she had asked to watch and listen to the two men for her, hadn't reported anything back to her of note.

Growling to herself, Kura set about stringing her bow. She wasn't feeling particularly patient, and she figured that she might as well just ask. She doubted if either Malcolm or Godrick were aware of Phelan, her Omega Wolf, and she figured that and her masterwork bow, would give her all the edge she needed against the undoubtedly undisciplined foreign knight and his companion. Speck, however, as wise as ever, broke into the Imperial's plan. "I can see what you're thinking, Kura. It may work, but perhaps you should try asking politely before you threaten them. They might be more willing to help that way." the owl spirit said.

It was at that point that Phelan's voice broke in. "Isn't that against our religion? I thought we Imperials always resorted to main force first." he said, eliciting a sigh from Kura. The wolf, she gathered, was very young, and his question was actually sincere, amusing as some would have found it.

"No Phelan, Speck is right. We prefer it if people join us without a war, but it's rare. A shame, really." she said. She did finish stringing her bow, but didn't draw an arrow, instead keeping it loose in her hands as she started walking a little more rapidly in the direction Speck and Phelan told her the two men were in. "Stay hidden, Phelan. I might still need your element of surprise." she said, her bond with the wolf allowing her to communicate with him despite the distance.

"Yeah, I know, don't worry. I'm a better hunter than you when we get down to it. By the way, the two were talking about some kind of abilities. Apparently, the bearded one can control storms and make a shield. And his hands glowed blue when he touched weapons. Is that something you can do, Kura?" the wolf asked.

Kura stopped and blinked in surprise, then laughed. "No, not at all. My abilities, like those of my mother, tend to be less...ostentatious." she said, now grinning openly as she walked. As she drew near, she got another report from Phelan. "I think they might be looking for a crossing. At least, they're talking about horses and swimming." the wolf said, seeming confused.

"Wasn't there something about a bridge relatively near here in one of your papers?" Speck broke in at that point.

"There was." Kura said, as she broke into a light jog. This might provide the perfect excuse for her to break into a conversation with the two men. As she approached, she heard one of them, Malcolm she thought, call out to someone. She doubted it was her yet, as he was facing away from her, but she spoke up at that point regardless. "Ho there! If you're looking to cross, I know a better way than getting your feet trying to swim that river!" she called, raising her voice to make sure she was heard.

► Show Spoiler

I talked to Jade about how to cross that river. First off, it's supposed to be about as wide as the Mississippi in the eastern U.S. so I'm not 100% sure if it even can be forded. But, like the Mississippi, it has some islands that are connected by bridges. Kura knows about them from her job, so she can take the group thataway.

[Inali]

Inali made slow progress along the river’s edge, lurching atop Sana awkwardly as the mare proceeded through the thick grasses that lined the riverbank. Sana’s ears flicked forward and the mare shifted slightly beneath her. Inali gripped her legs tighter against the mare’s sides, terrified of falling to the ground and breaking her arms – or worse.

Eidisi rarely acquired injuries within the walls of Viden. For the unlucky, a few broken fingers could stall ambitious research projects by months, especially if the injured scholar was a preeminent expert in their domain. Shuddering at the thought, Inali reached out to pet Sana’s withers in a poor attempt to comfort the animal. As she leaned forward, Inali noticed the two men downstream that had caught Sana’s attention.

The duo stood a few inches from the edge of the water with their horses standing a few feet behind them. They were tall for humans – a fact that Inali noted with a hint of displeasure. The Eidisi sized them up from a distance, noting the weaponry they carried and the well-worn saddlebags that each horse carried. They were adventurers then, or perhaps hunters. Before long, the taller of the two called out to her – his arm raised in greeting.

"You crossing too? Feel free to join us!"

Inali dismounted from Sana, her feet hitting the ground hard as pain reverberated up the length of her legs. Wincing, she raised a single hand in reply. By the time she closed the distance between them, her legs had stopped throbbing with pain. She waited a moment before replying to the offer, hesitant to accept the aid of anyone so far from civilization. They were not bandits – their clothing was of a better quality make than the brigands that roamed the desolate areas of Western Idalos. Drawing in a deep breath, Inali replied,

“Yes. Will join you humans in moving across Anari. Then I head north.”

The situation was new to the Eidisi, and the hair on her forearms rose in response to the potential threat. She was no longer a respected researcher in her own domain. She was no one of any importance. Her grasp of Common was shameful, and these humans likely thought that she was lost or that her mental capacity was far below that of her kin. Inali thought of explaining, but found her thoughts interrupted by a third voice.

A shorter human approached them at a half jog, bow held loosely in her hands as she navigated through the foliage with apparent ease. Inali noticed the woman’s golden eyes first. She had seen the Biqaj of Ne’haer have irises that color, but it never lasted long. This woman was not Biqaj – she was something foreign. Musing to herself, Inali looked up to the duo, curious as to how they would reply to the woman’s offer of a safe crossing.

[Malcolm]

"North you say? We are heading north to Lysoria," Godric beamed, the smile faltering only as Malcolm nudged him in his calf; he really was terrible when it came to giving away too much information.
"We aren't from around here," Malcolm admitted to the newcomer, but then it seemed neither was she. "We've been looking for a point to cross since the city, but no luck yet."
It was then their saving grace came in the form of a familiar face. Kura, the woman who had helped them the day before with their investigation into Yoreth Blackwater, jogged up behind them with her bow drawn. Malcolm twisted in the saddle to look at her before tugging on the reins to bring his horse around. "Hello again, Kura," the knight smiled, a friendly enough gesture, though he had to wonder if she had followed them out here and why.
"Kura!" Godric grinned a full, toothy smile. "Did not expect to see you again so soon, what a pleasure indeed."
Malcolm did his very best not to roll his eyes, was Godric going to flirt with every woman they ran into on the road? "We would appreciate your guidance, it's been many arcs since I last visited and I don't remember using any bridges." He was careful about the words he chose, not wanting to give away his age. "I never really went much further than the Salt Lake, but that is too far west if we want to get to Lysoria in good time."

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura gave the blue skinned woman, an Eidisi she guessed, an odd look but only nodded in greeting. Rare to see one of them so far away from Viden, but she assumed the same could be said of her, regarding her distance from the empire. Turning back to Malcolm and Godrick, she grinned slightly and relaxed her grip on her bow before speaking. "Aye, there's bridges now. A good two miles or more to the east, as I recall. But I'm headed up towards Lysoria meself, so if'n ye don't mind, I'll tag along with ye." she said, no longer bothering to conceal her Korlasir accent. She had used the ecumenical common accent as a nod towards professionalism, but in truth she had hated disguising her speech like that.

Stopping as she approached the horses, the Mortalborn grimaced slightly. "I'll admit though, I hadn't been plannin' on burdenin' meself with no mount, so I might be a bit slower than you all, now that I think about it." she said, before she shrugged. "Still, it'll delay us all even more if I turn around to be rentin' meself a mount." she said before she started off towards the east, whistling to call Speck down. The owl circled overhead for a moment, then came to rest on Kura's pack, nibbling at her ear. "Well, shall we be goin' then?" she asked her companions.

[Inali]

The warm smile that spread across the face of one of the men surprised Inali. Were they truly this friendly to all strangers they met? Perhaps that was the secret to foiling bandits - accept them like they were kin and then drive a knife into their chest while they slept. It was soon apparent that the easy familiarity that the men displayed was due to the fact that they had met this Kura woman before. Ku-ra. The Eidisi mused at the origins of the name and the strong accent that colored the Common of the woman who spoke it. While it would be easier to just assume that the newcomer was a run of mill human, Inali now wondered if she was a mixed blood of some sort. Whatever the woman was, she seemed to know the area better than the rest of the group combined. Content to follow the decision made by the men, Inali simply nodded in agreement at Kura.

Inali was curious to learn more about the group. It seemed odd that so many people would converge on the same path to Lysoria. Was there an event she had failed to hear about? Were there bounties in Lysoria? There was only one way to find out. She spoke up loudly enough for the group to hear as she loosened Sana’s harness,

“Why are you go to Lysoria?”

The Eidisi paused, knowing that they were more likely to speak if she offered her own reasons for travelling.

“I look for students and information. I teach Eidisi tongue, search for knowing.”

[Malcolm]

Curiosity was an age old affliction, most mortals forever tainted by its curse. Mind your own business was a phrase uttered by sour old men, and the young too often burned by what came from knowing too much. Malcolm glanced over his shoulder at the blue woman and looked at Godric, who had decided to remain quiet for a change. The knight ushered him forwards with a low wave of his hand and Godric nudged his horse to head after Kura, who he then offered to share his horse with for the journey. Malcolm hung back and waited for Inali to catch up before continuing on down the road.
"You're a teacher?" He knew changing the subject wasn't the most solid of plans, but it had its merits. "I teach at the university in Rynmere. My comrade and I have travelled to Ne'haer to hunt down a man on the run from the law. I work for an organisation called The Iron Hand, Rynmere's Army, as a knight... Well, a captain actually." He pointed out the small golden swords pinned to the leather of his jerkin, proudly displayed on his chest. "We didn't have any luck tracking down the outlaw we were hunting for, so have decided to visit a few old friends of ours in Lysoria before we make the long journey home to Rynmere."
"I don't know much Eidisi," he admitted after a time. "Perhaps you can teach me some in exchange for a few pointers with your common?"

[Kura Wolfsdotter]

Kura stopped to look at the Eidisi as she spoke, then shrugged and gave her response. "I have need to travel. Even I don't know the ultimate destination, but Lysoria is the next place, I'm goin' to." she said, her tone casual as she started heading east again. She stopped momentarily as Godrick rode up an offered to share his horse with her. "Aye, 'tis a kind offer ye make, lad. I'll be glad to take ye up on it." she said, before letting him help her up onto the horse. Speck flew off Kura's pack as she mounted, then settled back down to rest on Kura's arm, the owl closing its eyes as Kura brought her close. Soon, Kura felt Speck drop off into a light doze and smiled, reaching down to pet her owl.

Looking back at Malcolm and the Eidisi, Kura listened briefly as the knight told their new companion what the Mortalborn already knew, then looked at the man she rode with. "I know yer travelin' wit' Malcolm, but I've a burnin' curiosity about somethin' you were talking about yesterday. This journey you and yer friend are on, what are actually lookin' fer these folk for?" she asked, genuine curiosity in her voice as she spoke.

[Inali]

Inali nodded at Kura. If nothing else, the Eidisi shared a love with travel with the humans and mixed bloods. One could always learn a new language or discipline within the University, but many Eidisi travelled to the University in Rynmere, or a city that was filled native speakers of the language. It allowed the Eidisi to practice their skills while escaping the cold of northern Idalos for a few seasons. After Kura replied, she continued further up the river’s edge, conversing in a low tone with the other male that had left his companion to follow the newcomer.

Inali turned her attention to Malcolm, who had waited for her further up the path. He ignored her question for the most part, instead inquiring about her own line of work. As he continued speaking, Inali could barely contain her surprise that this human had taught at the University in Rynmere. He was too… rough to be have obtained a Charter or Licentiate. Perhaps the University allowed him to teach some sort of military tactics course? She pondered the value of such a class as he continued discussing his ranking with the Iron Hand.

Inali blinked. Of course he didn’t know much ‘Eidisi’. The tongue was forbidden to outsiders. Had he not heard of this within the University? She paused for a moment, wondering whether her kin in Viden would hear much about this captain from Rynmere.

“I would like to learn good Common,” she admitted, “But teaching the Ancient Tongue is…”

Inali paused and searched for the proper word before continuing,

“Forbidden by Viden, by Eidisi. Why do you wish to learn it? Eidisi do not fight Iron Hand. Do you want teach military lessons in Viden?”

Inali raised an eyebrow at the man, wondering if he would enjoy the frigid winds of the cold cycle that ravaged the northern tundras. Perhaps he would. He did not seem overly hostile to her kind and he was well traveled. Her kin would respect the knowledge he could bring to the north.