Erevan Burkwood sets to building his ballista with his trusty friend Ozarrik by his side.
They make some decent headway on the design before they break for the day. Unwinding he plops down with the kids, much to their delight, and listens to Varin tell another tale of the tribes ancestors. She smiles brighter seeing Erevan in the crowd and she works extra hard to convey the story with a newbie in the audience.
After the story finishes Varin and Erevan go to dinner with the family. The two joke about Ozarrik’s skills trying to assist in crafting the ballista.
After dinner Erevan turns in for the night back at his shared tent.
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Erevan and Ozarrik set right to work in the morning on the ballista. Erevan starts to grow worried, gauging the time it will take to build it, realizing he will most likely be begging for a chance to go on the mission and then return to finish the ballista.
The two go and lay on the ground next to Varin. The orc acolyte is staring at the clouds. Erevan looks up at the sky with a thoughtful gaze.
“That one looks like a bunny.” Ozarrik points.
“Not the point of this.” Varin sighs.
“It’s a valid intepretation. Albeit childish.” Erevan shrugs.
“What are we doing?” Ozarrik asks.
“Nephelomancy. The divination of clouds.” Erevan answers.
“So you know what I am doing already. Then what do you see.” Varin asks.
“That black cloud on the horizon is moving eastward. It’s an obvious sign of somethin inevitable coming our way. Something negative. Although interpreting the negativity is the real magic thats left up to experts like you.” Erevan explains.
“Conflict.” Varin whispers.
“How do you see all that in a cloud?” Ozarrik twists his head to the side as he stares at the clouds.
“You ask it nicely.” Erevan smiles slyly.
“Oh, hah hah.” Ozarrik stands up. “I’m getting ready for dinner.”
The other two snicker before they too make themselves scarce. Dinner goes by without any major events and Erevan eventually makes his way to bed for the night.
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Bright and early Erevan and his friend Ozarrik get started on the ballista. Today they aim about finishing the design process and start marking off the lumber they’ve collected. The goal is to see what they can shape into the appropriate wood pieces of the ballista.
Erevan then heads over to the sparring pits where the Warlord Graw’aud once again has his elite guard training with him. He matches up against a guard in a wrestling match.
Erevan struggles to get the upperhand, but as soon as he does his tattoo puts in major work for him. And he wins the grapple contest against the other guard.
Warlord Graw’aud is impressed with Erevan and as the spars wrap up the two head to dinner with the rest of the family.
Dinner is great. Erevan feels a sense of normalcy with the orc tribe. He almost feels like he’s part of the family.
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Erevan and Ozarrik take there time getting to work. Once up they really get into a groove and start to shape the basic pieces they need for the ballista.
They take an intermission in their work to attend the religious ceremonies for the day. Led by Dhievni and Taghig the ceremonies and prayers are intriguing to watch and be a part of. Some of the ceremonies seem interconnected to Varin’s divinations. There are ceremonies of protection for the community and strength for the warriors.
Ozarrik and Erevan finish their work after the ceremonies. Then they attend dinner which is equally uneventful as any other. After that its back to bed where they prepare for the next day.
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The two friends head out to their weapon in progress and continue the shaping of the wooden elements of it.
After finishing their work Ozarrik heads out to check some traps around the woods. Erevan finds Varin who is throwing different spices into a fire. She is crouched down next to a campfire, observing the flames reactions to different fuels. Erevan crouches next to her and hugs his knees.
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“Pyromancy this time?” Erevan questions.
“Nothing is off the table for me.” Varin responds.
“That’s admirable.” Erevan nods.
“Can you read flame fortunes?” Varin asks.
“I can try.” Erevan shrugs.
“I see the fire wants to spread, it feels contained but not controlled. Like it has a hunger. The fire is crackling. Embers are being cast off. Reminds me of the gunfire I see when I use my blunderbuss. The wood logs underneath are cracking, being sundered by the fire, revealing deep grooves underneath their surface. Like tunnels. Like the Giant’s Forest.” Erevan seems to stare deeper and deeper into the fire.
Varin grabs Erevan’s shoulders and gives him a gentle tug away from the flames.
“Don’t stare too long at the enemy.” She says.
“You knew the looming threat was an enemy?” Erevan asks.
“You confirmed it. And you went beyond what I could. There’s a location now. I’ll have father send some scouts to the Giant’s Forest.” Varin nods to Erevan. “Thank you.”
She leans in and pecks Erevan on the cheek with a kiss before standing and walking towards the giant skull where the family has its evening dinners.
Erevan furrows his brows and stares as she leaves.
“Does she like me?” Erevan questions out loud.
Dinner goes by with no notable events and Erevan will find his way back to his tent to rest for the night.
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The two friends do some stretches in the morning before getting right back into some wood carving for the ballista project.
Erevan plops down after working for hours on the ballista. He relaxes his mind and body by participating in making pottery with Taghig. The young orc recognizes Erevan’s presence with a head nod. The two make minimal gestures to each other as they work. Which is more communication than the young orc seems to show towards most people outside his immediate family.
After they finish the two head to dinner together. Erevan sits with Oz and Zitirius, but he notices the Speaker asking Taghig questions about him. Dinner doesn’t take long to wrap up and Erevan excuses himself to get some rest.
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Erevan and Ozarrik start planning out and piecing together the ballista’s wooden parts.
Erevan finally finishes some work and heads to the fort’s reserves to get some water. As he hydrates himself Varin pulls him into her weekly meeting with the young-ins to continue the tribes Oral Traditions. Varin has Erevan tell the story of Ozarrik fighting the Winter Wolf. Erevan embellishes a bit and gives Ozarrik a bigger part, greatly emphasizing his spear drove through the creatures eye socket blinding it.
The kids seem delighted by the gruesome details and Varin can’t help but be entertained. Erevan stalks around in front of the kids, trying to display the terror that the large wolves induce. He teases the kids a little in light hearted ways to keep them paying attention and enjoying themselves. Erevan smiles widely having never interacted with kids younger than him. The orcs were a little more thick skinned than other kids, but they were delightful to tell stories to.
Erevan heads to dinner with Varin. They joke about the kids. Varin admits she wants a large family when she’s older. Erevan admits he never thought about it for a second until now. At the dinner table Varin kicks Vali to the edge of the table so she can sit across from Erevan. This causes some contention, but no fights break out.
Dinner is enjoyable. When it is done Erevan and Ozarrik return to their tent.
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In the morning Varin reports to Erevan and Ozarrik. She lends her expertise in blessings and her minimal crafting experience.
Erevan feeling peckish, goes in search of a snack. He finds Taghig cooking and decides to start helping him. At first Erevan starts reading the recipes Taghig is making and fetching him the supplies. Eventually Taghig asks for something much to the delight of Erevan. The young Burkwood works as Taghig’s assistant until dinner time.
The dinner with the family is uneventful. Although Varin does talk about Erevan to her younger siblings; Taghig and Nawne. The second, the younger sister, has floppy ears like a goblin, and pointed teeth. She seems to be well monitored by the older siblings and by the Speaker. When dinner concludes Erevan notes that Nawne steals a spoon to take with her.
Smiling at the odd choice of cutlery to steal, Erevan will leave, and head to bed.
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Erevan and Ozarrik keep on building the ballista. Varin reports in to lend her aid again.
After they are all collectively exhausted and done for the day. Erevan finds himself hanging out with Taghig who is keeping the towns central bonfire alive. He is bringing firewood to it, moving the logs inside it, and carefully watching it. Erevan sits with him, helps him carry firewood, and every once and awhile Erevan will make a comment praising something Taghig does. The young orc appreciates this where a older more jaded orc might not.
Eventually they leave the fire and attend dinner. The dinner is uneventful and eventually Erevan turns in for the night.
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Delighted to see Varin show up again, Erevan leads the way on assembling the main frame of the ballista.
Afterwards Erevan finds Taghig drinking tea near the front gate. Erevan asks for some tea and Taghig pours him a cup. Erevan sips on the tea watching the young orc. When he finishes his tea he stares down at the tea leaves left over. Studying them.
“Tasseomancy?” Erevan asks.
“Shhh.” Taghig quietly replies with a finger to his mouth.
Erevan stays quiet as he finishes his tea. Having never read tea leaves, Erevan gives it his best shot.
“Something large, something within weeks, something dangerous.” Erevan mutters as he swishes his cup looking at what he sees.
Taghig holds his hand out, Erevan hands his cup over, and the orc studies his cup as well. Taghig shakes his head with a click of his tongue.
“Was I right?” Erevan asks.
“Yes.” Taghig replies quietly.
“That’s not good.” Erevan deflates.
“I’ll tell Dhievni.” Taghig stands and walks away.
Erevan thinks for a minute and then smiles. That might be the most Taghig has said to him. Dinner comes and goes and Erevan is quick to bed.
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