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Thread: [M] Quest for the People of Vorronga (1X1 GodlyD&D and trouble.muffin)

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    Default [M] Quest for the People of Vorronga (1X1 GodlyD&D and trouble.muffin)

    The tribal people of Vorronga dwell in the wide canyon known for them, along the Vorronga River in it from the headwaters hundreds of thousands of Vorronga feet inland to the coastal delta. They are divided by into two communities of separate factions. The Primary Group, having traditional worship of the most high, Logol, with observance of his ways, dwell in the middle area of the length of the river. The Contrary Group, with observing the omens and signs of Isdem, live further inland approaching the headwaters. All the people are cliffdwellers, with homes on three levels in spaces that over a millennium were widened and shaped further by the dwellers over many generations. The people there live basically in the way of stone age people, they know still about metal and its use. But there is virtually no metal in this world, save for very few and valued tools from metal that had come in a very rough ball which fell from the skies hundreds of years earlier. Now there is news of another such ball of metal that had just fallen from the skies, far inland beyond the river. Scouts and strong men are being sent out to find it, from both factions, that are competing between each other for finding it and retrieving it. There are yet items and practices here among the people which have use of magic.

    Jorald, a strong man of the Primary clan six feet in height in his early twenties, with medium length blondish brown hair, fell for a sweet young Contrary clan woman. He seduced her and when they met in seclusion he cunningly had her kidnapped for her to be with him still. But then the commission to find that source of metal (it is exotic metal!) had him sent with others for that. He chose quickly to leave the kidnapped young Contrary clan woman with the Wiser One, a man of power among them who would value an apprentice.

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    Jorald saw no other choice. There were five other men around his age that were appointed, with him, to go upland, and go up out of the canyon avoiding the Contrary area, where one among the five, Fazibar, had met a few others who traveled and spoke withca different speech, who had indicated to him that they were witnesses of the new small body falling quickly from the sky, and knew where it fell. Fazibar showed them a small blade from the original exotic metal, a dense heavy item, yet quite strong, and those others nodded, indicating that was the substance of the new fallen body. Jorald and three others were stronger than Fazibar and one other, who were guiding them, they brought with them a large carrying stucture to bring that fallen object from the sky back with them. And they wanted to get there to bring it before anyone from the Contrary clan got there to do anything like that.

    Jorald had then indicated to his beloved nineteen year old that she must stay with the Wise One he brought her to, and learn from him, until he would return from the quest he had to go on with those others.

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    Betrayal smoldered in Mehlika's dark eyes as she studied the Primary clansman's face. He couldn't really mean to leave her so soon and with a stranger, no less.

    In the weeks since they'd met, Jorald had sworn repeatedly that he refused to be pulled away from her. Mehlika had laughed his words off at first, taking them to be empty promises to persuade a maiden to part with her tunic. Then, as the rest of his clansmen prepared for their march downriver, Jorald summoned her to their meeting place "a final time." It was not a farewell trist, as Mehlika had presumed. Instead she had been swept away, leaving each of her siblings with at least another hour's worth of daily tasks. All this had been so he could leave her with some whitehair like a servant's rowdy child?

    Slender fingers cupped her hip and her elbow jutted out defiantly. She may as well be helping her kin instead if she was to be forced into labor either way. "Why can't I go with you?" she demanded. "Why must you go at all? Let another chase the gestures of random travelers."

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    They were standing at the front of the home of Benorken, the Wise One, one of the first level homes built into the cliffside. Jorald said, "Mehlika, my sweetest one, I would have you go with me if I could. I am required to go with the other strong men for this, which would be most highly valued to the people here, who have so little of any metal, and I cannot excuse myself from it. I still go knowing it will be with difficulties, and we must be competitive. I want to be right back here, just to be with you. While I go, I need to know I leave you in the safest place I can have you. If you really want, we can have you talk with big man Megorfen, with his advisors, who all do not know you so far, to beseech them to appoint you to go with us. Here is really the best and safest for you, still, as far as I can see." He stepped toward her, wanting to embrace her and kiss her yet again.

    Benorken, the Wise One who had seen fifty-nine winters, a modest appearing man with streaks of white through his hair and especially in his whiskers, stood nearby at the front of his small cliffside home. He said then, "I remember seeing Jorald from the time he was a young boy. I came to know him better and we got along fine when he started in my training four summers ago. But while he was not so fit for the things I can train one for, he was still strong though, and besides being good at knapping, he helps in times when others want to move stones they would use which are too heavy for them, which he can still do. He had too much difficulty learning these things, about recognizing herbs and their best uses, and how to give the right chant, triggering supernatural power from glowing stones." He turned then, and said, "Come this way." He went to a carved wooden structure inside his place, which opened from the top, and he pulled out a curious object. It was a roughly round object, like a stone, about the size of a grapefruit, it was clear, so that it could be seen through, with the very slightest rosy tint. He held it up to be seen. "This is a shell, carved through, of such stones that used to glow. They have a flowery glow, they have been known to some as flowergemstones. The emination from them has been found to be dangerous to those staying too near to it, those ones then grow deformities from that. But the shell constructed from one when it loses its glow and emination, and any of its remaining supernatural power that could have been triggered for release, can be used with a new glowing stone whenever one though rare is found again, with the shell surrounding it shielding one with it from the harmful gemstone emination, while the glow is seen better than ever, and supernatural power can still be released through it."

    Jorald said, "It grows later and the others are waiting for me, Mehlika my sweetest, what will you do? Would you still go speak with big man Megorfen, to go with us instead?"

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    An auburn braid silently swept across her back as she turned her chin away from his approach and stared past his right shoulder to keep her eyes dry. Two rows of dwellings staggered above them, roughly following the curve of the cliff from which they’d been carved. Primaries had at least this much in common with her homeland.

    Mehl could feel the leather armor beneath his shirt as his arm slid around her waist, reminding her of the danger that lurked beyond this stoney haven. It didn’t seem like this would protect him much, but was better than bare skin and cloth. Jorald needed to be able to fight with full force, and detracting from that for the sake of his company was admittedly selfish. She relented to his embrace and with a cheek against his chest muttered, “Return with the metal, but alone. Free yourself of any notion I’ll tolerate some sister-wife.”

    Another voice cut in, reminding her that the two were far from alone. Warmth flushed Mehlika’s face at the realization that there had been an audience to a rather intimate moment. She surely didn’t want to be seen as a strumpet in the town she’d now call home. Her embarrassment quickly subsided as the Wise One spoke of Jorald’s training and she pictured him heaving against a stone for a fellow townsman. He did seem like one who’d be quick to offer help, especially if it doubled as a chance to show off his strength.

    They followed Benorken inside, where the strange and beautiful object he pulled from its wooden box further persuaded Melika to stay. She had never heard of these flowergemstones, and yearned to learn more of their magical glow. With luck, there was something among this whitehairs array of trinkets that could help her be of use to her beloved on his journeys so he wouldn’t need to leave her.

    As though he’d heard her thoughts, Jorald asked for her decision once more. Mehlika sighed before replying, “No, I shouldn’t delay your team-- now or on the journey. You’re right that they have yet to meet me and such an unconventional request might not be a most favorable first impression. I hate that we must part, but I suppose you are the most fit.” Slender fingers traced along his arm with the last remark to emphasize his fitness. She caught herself and placed her hand politely back in his, still not used to being around him outside of their secluded meeting place. “You should go, before I lose my resolve,” she said adding in her thoughts and my restraint.
    Last edited by trouble.muffin; 01-30-2021 at 06:04 AM.

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    "Mehlika, I have only eyes for you, I want you to know that. I will go then, only to return as soon as I can to you. You are safe here until then, I trust you to wait for me too." Jorald leaned forward to give her a brief kiss, and said, "Goodbye my love until later." He then turned and went briskly on to join the others.

    The Wise One Benorken, often called the Wiser, said then after the smallest moment, "I can show you more things I think you would be interested to know. And you may freely ask me questions, about this place, the people, or anything I might know about around here. But first, I will lead you this way for you to see your own sleeping quarter while you remain here. You may remain in seclusion here." He went back through the interior to the wall on one side, and Mehlika, after watching Jorald depart toward a group of men further on, saw then a door there where Benorken went, with material draped over it hanging down.

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    When Mehlika went to the doorway and moved the material draped over it to the side, she saw the spacious room there with piles of cleaned processed skins placed on top of each other enough to make an appearance of a most comfortable bed, almost a foot off the floor of that room, more than she had seen for a bed before, further layers at one end toward a wall would be making a pillowy place for her head. There was a flat top rock near it with an unlit lamp set on it. A couple of open top boxes were nearby in that room.

    The Wise One Benorken said, "I was hoping this space would be quite fine for you, that you might choose to remain in as far as you would be comfortable with it, being available to you as long as you remain here. I will almost always be available in the wider front room, and will answer what I can any time."

    During this time Jorald and the other five on their quest went along the Vorronga River upstream, through thick forests along the way, continuing along it right until the site of Contrary homes were in view.

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    She watched Jorald and his group head down the wide path with the buzz of his kiss still fresh on her lips. She pulled her lower lip between her teeth and bit down to keep from crying, not wanting to appear weak in front of her new host. As though sensing her torment, Benorken didn’t let the silence linger long.

    “More like the flowergemstone? Please, I’d like to learn it all!” She answered. After he turned to pass through the covered door, Mehlika slipped a hand up to quickly wipe the stray tear that had silently welled over. She hoped it would not be long that she’d remain here without her only reason for leaving home.

    Upon stepping through the doorway she realized that loneliness would likely be the only discomfort of her stay in these quarters. Her own bed was soft enough, but on the ground and once a year or so she awoke to a mouse or some other vermin scuttling over the sheets. Raising it seemed such a simple solution, yet one her family never thought to try after a long day’s work in the fields. She patted the pillowy area and stroked the sleeping furs with a thumb as she replied, “I appreciate these preparations. It seems most comfortable, only lacking in my beloved.”

    Mehlika set the rolled pack containing the few personal items and pieces of clothing she’d managed to slip off with on the bed. Leaning one hand on the stone’s flat surface, she met the Wiser’s eyes and asked, “What were you trying to teach Jorald that he was not so fit for? Perhaps if I can offer balance to his abilities I won’t keep getting left behind.”

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    The Wiser, Benorken, said, "When a new glowing flowergemstone is found, and is put in such a shell as is needed for that, as this, use of it must first have what supernatural form of power it has, whether it serves for alteration, or for teleportation. There are distinct ways of triggering any of that for either, which are not the same. There are the certain ways waving of the contained glowing flowergemstone for the needed result, with the certain call voiced out, for triggering it. So there will be much to learn for practice for that. The glowing flowergemstones are rare, and are limited in how long they are useful, so knowledge for their use must be ready for it when one is gained.

    "Now while none are available right now though I would have you practice for use of one, there is knowledge of herbs that is immediately useful for you."

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    “Once a stone is used for one purpose, can it be repurposed for the next use? Would a traveler need to carry at least two? What means of alteration are within its capabilities?” Mehlika asked. The Wiser spoke of this magic in a way that was difficult for the newcomer to follow, but she was determined to learn. Surely Jorald would be impressed if she could master something with which he struggled. "There is much for me to learn. How soon can we start?" Melika took her small satchel from the larger pack and draped it over a shoulder to show she was ready even now.

    “You mentioned herbs; that seems like something I will take to quickly. I have some knowledge of plants from helping around the house and in the field, mostly for use in the kitchen. Might some of the herbs be the same as upstream? Perhaps we could peruse the grounds for some examples of the plants you forage."

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