Torral (Rp for Adam)

World Details: The basics, of course, in what is absolutely need to know. The races are, of course, going to have variations and mixed blood. The major cities are listed but the towns are not. Most of the cities I kept down to the more basic details which allows plenty of leeway to expand upon them as the rp progresses.

Name: Torral

Races Currently in Existence:

 - Humans: A moderate race at best. They can excel at many things but are best known for their resourcefulness that tends to supplement their inherent weaknesses. Humans are physically plain, relatively speaking, in that while they can and do supplement their physical forms with various augmentations such as piercings and body art like tattoos they are not born with animalistic physical characteristics. If you see a human with these traits then they’ve been splicing…which is illegal and should be reported to the proper authorities. Humans are capable of using a form of every day magic that is harnessed to make their lives a little easier. Speaking to animals, small healing abilities, some levitation abilities, are all examples of what humans are capable of. They can not utilize elemental or higher magicks. They lack the proper ‘circuit’ to do so.

 - Human Hybrids: Created by humans centuries ago as companions or slaves initially, the great revolution brought about equality between the humans and the hybrids. Characteristically they are born with ears and a tail. Some of the children born now days have fur covering some of their bodies due to the mixing of, or strengthening of, genetics through selective breeding practices performed in the past. These children are considered throwbacks but are not ostracized from society for being different. They can easily wield natural magick of the elemental variety but only one ability per individual has ever been reported. They can not wield the every day magicks that humans tend to use to make their lives easier.

 - Elves: Seldom seen they are more myth or legend than common. They differ from humans in many key ways. 1. They tend to be taller than average humans. 2. Their ears range from mildly pointed to extremely pointed (goes back to genetics and how much human is mixed into the bloodline). 3. Their skin color can range from almost milky white translucent to golden (not to be confused with tanned skin)and rumor has it that there are Elves with dark skin tones…gray and blue even. 4. Their eyes are not normal in color but contain a metallic sheen to them that makes them easy to spot even if they manage to mix into society by hiding all the other signs of their race. Elves are capable of commanding powerful magicks. At the height of their lives they can command the most powerful of healing spells and have great command over the natural world and the magicks contained within it. It is rumored that the reason they keep themselves apart from society is because they are the ones that keep the natural world in order, causing weather to stay in balance and forest (and other natural growths) to grow and keep the world’s air purified.

 - Vikings: Do not confuse these with mere humans. While they are a subset of ‘human’ they have earned their place within this list due to their own power and actions. Physically they are stronger than regular humans and tend to focus on training their physical selves as much as possible.They contain unusual capabilities to work with rare runic magicks. “You’ll know a Viking when you see one,” is a very apt phrase to remember in regards to this subset of Humanity.

 - Mages: Another subset of humanity that has earned its place here. They were specially bred by humans to be capable of wielding the full weight of magickal powers that permeate this world. However that power does not come without cost and they tend to be much thinner and much paler than the average human. While this is not always the case, there will inevitably be something that causes them to stand out from mere humans who wield basic day to day magicks in some form of physical weakness. Some mages are stronger at night and can not bear daylight. Some are stronger during the day and can not bear the moonlight. Some, due to the type of magick they use, must drink blood to supplement the blood they use from themselves in their magicks.

 - Evolved Animals: Not to be mistaken for Human Hybrids by any means. These are literally animals that have evolved to be able to involve themselves in proper society. Their appearances are animalistic and they are quite capable of shifting their shape into their pure animal form with ease. All reports seem to state that they prefer this to their humanoid form. The magical power they wield is time. They stand within the time stream and outside of it and as such can travel between times easily. Only the most powerful of their species (specially bred) are capable of wielding the same magicks as Human Mages can. Those that are capable of wielding the full powers of their species and the Human Mages are called Astorians and they are almost always singled out from their packs and raised very carefully, protected from birth until death, guarded by specially trained members of their packs/tribes/clans.

 - Avians: Little is know about this race other than the fact that they are a blending of the races of Elf, Human, and Evolved Animal. What we do know is that, while they can not wield magic in the same manner the other races can, they are capable of flight. Their wings vary in type, size, and form. The most powerful of this race have more than just two wings. In fact from what I have been able to gather their social ranking is based solely upon how many wings they are born with. It is assumed that they are capable of wielding all forms of wind type magicks. They haven’t been seen in the world for some generations though and only the oldest of people remembers what they look like. All of them report that they are beautiful creatures, both the men and women of the species and it is difficult to tell a male from a female if staring at them from behind.

- Techies: Another subset, but not just of humanity. Human Hybrids, some Elves, Humans, Vikings…they all have individuals that fall into this category. They wield their own special form of magick that is very much technology based. They are the gadgeteers, the gear heads, the people who fix what is broken and sometimes what isn’t. They are tinkerers, trail breakers, and otherwise magically deficient. They can’t use the same type of magic as their normal races. In the past they used to be called ‘Nulls’ but that term changed the instant one of them invented a machine called a computer. Computers are now rampant world wide and guess who is called in to repair/build/tweak said items…yep. Techies.

Cities: There are many cities on this Planet of Torral and each is a hub of commerce and industry. Of course there are small towns and villages and even smaller settlements but I will cover the main hubs of activity.

 - Colstoyan: The largest city in the northern region, it is surrounded by fields of snow and ice during much of the year. Farms are carefully tended and grown inside bio-warehouses that capture the meager sunlight and amplify it are tended almost religiously by the people in the city. While it isn’t their only form of commerce, it does play a very large part in their community as a whole. Festivals revolve around the harvest and planting of crops and draw tourists year round.

 - Tanrial: The fabled City of the Elves. Not much is known about this place aside from the fact that it is a shining gem of beauty amidst a dense forest and most who are permitted to travel there have received special invitation to conduct business or even just to visit.

- Saysham: A desert city that rose up around one of the richest underground lakes in the region. It is a bustling community of confusing individuals that like to call everyone they meet ‘sahib’ and wear turbans on their heads. It is not much of a tourist destination but has made its mark on the map due to the bottling and sale of the pure water.

 - Razvan: Truly a technological marvel. The best of the best in the tech world have made this city the place to be. It is the only city on the planet where you will NOT find even one Evolved Animal. It is a city of steel and concrete and everything is powered and run by technology. Servants are mechanical. If you’re a techno-geek then this is where you want to be. Top schools on the planet. The place where everyone is no one and they all are special. Most of the people have augmented themselves in some random way but amazingly it has the lowest crime rate around.

 - Felormin: A city smack dab in the center of the main continent. Built by the Evolved Animals it is a rough city that sports a coliseum at its center where duals of an elemental and magical nature take place on a regular basis. Tourism is their number one business and as such the city itself is built to encourage tourists to spend, spend, spend. Sporting Casino’s, Gambling Parlours, Brothels, and a massive shopping district second to none in the world it’s the place to see and be seen. It is a city of decadence and keeps the Evolved Animal race very high up on the list of the rich and not famous.

 - Hystalcia: A bustling city sporting the highest population of Human Hybrids in the entire world. They are farmers, well those that live outside the city limits and in fact it’s the most beautifully developed country side worldwide. The city sports the highest number of artists per capita as well, which does explain the chaotic and brightly painted buildings. No skyscrapers, but it boasts some of the best food around and the artsy atmosphere draws people from all over. They live closer to nature than most and delight in the beautiful and unique and that is reflected in the city that they built. Every corner has artwork and there are several gardens and museums.

 - Fabled City of Aviana: This city is, as you’ve probably guessed it, a fabled city. Most question its existence. However from what reports and rumors I’ve managed to gather on it the place is a mystical marvel. A floating continent. A merger of tech and magic the likes of which none in the current world have seen. Does it exist? I hope so. Because I’m going hunting for it damn it!

 - Aquaria: The last city on the list and the smallest. It is a floating city that traverses the world’s oceans. It is the main trade Mecca between smaller Oceanside towns and villages. If you don’t have it and can’t get to a city that does…more than likely they will have it or be able to get it. The people who inhabit this floating city are the ones that wanted a life of pure freedom from what they consider to be the chains of an oppressive society. They are the outcasts…or were. Now they’re rich and free and govern the waterways providing travel to everywhere else…for a price.

Saved for adding in details we might need (such as small towns etc)...

Torral is a world that consists of sixty percent water and only forty percent land. This ratio is one leading reason as to why the water city, Aquaria, has become so large and such an important element in the trading cycle of the world.

The Northern Continent is a cold place, with snow on the ground eighty percent of the year. Smaller towns and villages scatter the countryside and a few also scatter the coast. The largest city on this continent, Colstoyan, sits several miles north of the harbor where all trading is done. Because of the constant snowstorms that hit and rage the harbor where trade is conducted now is surrounded by protective cliffs which keep much of the wind and snow off. A man-made tunnel spans from the harbor to the city ensure that trade goods will reach the city without getting lost in the snowstorms that rage throughout the year. This tunnel can fit six traffic lanes and is in constant upkeep. It is also specially vented so that the air doesn't get stale and is tall enough and wide enough to allow vegetation to grow along the sides and down the center of the tunnel. It is the very first thing people encounter when arriving at the harbor and the very last thing they see after leaving the city for the harbor. The harbor itself has elements that make it both stark and yet very beautiful. Rising high into the sky are stone statues that were carved into the cliff-side. Several warehouses and even a few houses fill the area as well as several shops and taverns. From above the tunnel isn't capable of being seen. Instead, when there is no snow, a flower-filled meadow dots the landscape. In winter it becomes a snowfield. Merely by running the tunnel beneath the ground it manages to be many degrees warmer in winter and cooler in summer. Those vents are carefully hidden from top-side view in clever ways I will not expand upon here.

The second continent is south of the northern one by several hundred miles and is twice as large. Half of it is desert and contains the very odd city of Saysham.The city is large and is built to withstand the destructive sandstorms that rage through the desert at very regular, though spontaneous enough to not be able to time them, intervals. The city is a marvel of engineering and is run almost exclusively by both solar and wind turbine power. It took them years to design wind turbines that wouldn't freeze up when clogged with sand. Now those turbines process the sand, grinding it even finer than it is initially, and sends it down the turbine's shaft into a processing facility which creates some of the finest glass around. In fact, the glass produced in this city is shipped world wide. Glass rods made here are especially coveted by artists and the demand is high. Fortunately for them, in this desert, sand and the glass products made by it are in high supply. There are very few villages in the desert as most of the people choose to live where the water is most plentiful. The desert does back onto the sea and there is a trading village there. The sandstorms do not often hit this trading town as the sea winds are strong and constant and thus they are pushed inland into the deep desert. Due to the placement of the trading town fish is in plentiful supply in Sayham and is the second major trade good to be shipped world-wide. Especially since some fish can only be attained by fishing the lake beneath the main city and that is limited to twice yearly to ensure the continued population of the rare fish it contains. This continent is cut in half by jagged mountains. Some people have made those mountains their home and over time a tunnel between the desert and the other side of the mountains has been created.

The second half of the continent is dense forest. Within that forest is believed to be the legendary city of Tanrial. All reports say that within the deepest, densest, section of the forest where the canopy of the trees allows little light through the city rises out of nowhere and winds through the trees. The humans that settled in the mountains chop down trees, being careful to steadily replant, and process them. They then are shipped to Sayham and used or traded for other supplies that the village might need. Within the forest on the other side of the desert, through another mountain pass, lies the city of Felormin. Unlike the denser forest on the other side of the desert this one is rather thin. The ground is fertile and some farms dot the landscape. Within the city the coliseum rises up as a beacon.

Surrounded on all three sides by sheer mountain cliffs, the trading town on the ocean in the desert is the only trading hub to the outside world.

To the direct west of the second continent lies a third continent. Farms dot the rural areas almost exclusively. There are a few tree farms but the main city on this small continent, too big to be called an island but too small to be a full continent, is Razvan the technological marvel. Skyscrapers rise up into the sky. Technology is what this city supplies to the world. Technology to build. To make life easier. Within this city, and even in those farms outside of it, technology reigns. Here you will find people with augmented bodies. Tattoos and piercings are normal. Lose an arm? Get a new one here. Stronger, faster, better than your real one. Nothing purchased here is ever cheap. Cost of living in this city isn't so high but cost of parts and components is.

There are two continents in the southern hemisphere. Both are separated by ocean but both are a mixture of farm, forest, plains, and swampland. The first of these two continents is inhabited by the humans. Granted humans populate other cities as well but this continent in and of itself holds a majority human populace. It alos boasts Razvan 2.0. You see, Razvan became so large and popular to humans that it created a satellite city on this continent. Within this city of steel and metal the human techies gather in massive numbers. Humans and Human Hybrids, to a smaller extent, live on this continent and farm and bustle from town to town to city to village.

The second continent is home to the Human Hybrid's city, Hystalcia. While this continent is very similar to the human populated one to the west in that it has farms and forest, plains and mountains, it is most largely and exclusively populated by Human Hybrids. Those who ran away generations ago from their slavers, who immigrated here during the Great Oppression, or who just wished for more of their own kind to be around. You will also find numerous Evolved Animals here because Human Hybrids also live closer to nature than the humans. Their city is beautiful and all of the lands that surround it are artfully thought out. If you were to fly over it you would see during the spring, summer, and fall months a rainbow of colors from the plants growing in the fields. From this continent the trading consists of crops and fruits and berries. Human Hybrids rely much less on technology, though some of these are inherently born techie, and more on the physical labor that farming and other manual labor.

Finally we come to the fabled continent. The one that floats above the clouds and houses the city of Aviana. This continent has been lost for generations and little is known about it aside from the old legends passed down. A thing of beauty it supposedly consists of mountains, plains, valleys, rivers, and forests. Whether this is true or not remains to be seen...

Shea leaned over the balcony of her room, watching the waves crest below her, as the city moved along the water at it's own pace. Shea had been on Aquaria for about three days now. She'd been on her way to Razvan, to visit her techie father, when she got distracted. She'd missed her stop. Now she was waiting for them to run back by Razvan. In the meantime though she was stuck on Aquaria. It wasn't bad. She worked whenever she wanted to earn her keep though she really didn't need to do so. It was a nice place to be overall. The fishing was good and there were tons of things to do on board. Heck her job consisted of teaching the children martial arts...something she was certified in as a master black belt. Life was good. Though really she was sort of irked with herself about the whole missing her stop thing.

Standing upright she jumped onto the ledge of her balcony and gave a firm upward leap, catching the railing to the deck above her room, and tugged herself upwards until her feet were planted firmly on the floor. She waved at the workers out on the deck and answered one's silent question, "Yeah. Its about time I started the class! Those kids won't teach themselves, plus I'm sure their parents could use a break for a couple of hours," then chuckled and nodded as the worker waved her on with a laugh and a, "I'll be sendin my son yer way missie! Get him outta the wife's hair fer a while, ya know?"

She walked to the large empty area on this floor, an open air deck, and pulled out her walkie-talkie and keyed the mic on, "Yeah go ahead and announce that the children's class is to assemble on the second floor open deck for their daily martial arts training," then keyed it off and got into place. She was wearing a fairly typical training Gi of black color. Her belt had bands of shades at the tips, denoting her rank and level of mastery of her art.

In short time there were several groups of children ranging in age of three years old all the way up to eighteen. The groups were separated by age groups to make things easier. She taught the toddler aged children tumbling and how to fall properly, making it a fun game. A few workers had been assigned to assist her with the youngest age groups and she took full advantage of this. To the older groups she started them on the basic physical art forms as a warm up while she dealt with the toddler group, which consisted of ages three, four, and five. After training them in rolling and falling she left them to the workers to continue the 'game' she'd taught them. Moving on to the older children she began to show them the next movements in today's lesson.

Two hours passed as she taught the children. After the first hour the parents of the toddlers came and retrieved their now tired-out kids and took them home. The lessons continued for another hour when the oldest group had to leave to tend to chores or get to jobs and so she did the end of lesson thing, "Bow," which they all did, "You are dismissed. Same time tomorrow everyone," she smiled and took time to talk to the students that had questions but in short order the deck was empty of everyone but herself and the workers that tended it.

She flopped down into one of the lounge chairs and heaved a sigh. It was exhausting dealing with so many children at once. But worth it. Her room fee was covered as were her meal charges. Plus she got a little spare cash to spend every other week. Standing she walked over and dropped down onto her room's balcony ledge with ease. She might not be an evolved animal type but being a hybrid meant she had a lot of the same abilities without being all furry all the time.

Entering her room she grabbed out clothes and then hit the shower. She could have bathed but since she wanted to go fishing there was no reason to waste the extra time it took doing so. Shortly she was heading down the hall, hat over her head to keep her hair up and to keep her ears out of sight, and shortly out of the building and onto one of the many rafts that tied the whole city together. She plopped her line into the water and settled in to wait.

He had travelled long from his home in the farthest reaches of the North continent. His home in the mountains stayed in a state of permanent winter. Ice and snow were constant dangers. Even the hardiest of his kind could perish without warning. The runes gave them a way to survive, but the number of deaths was still high. Only the strong could survive in his homeland. Those not suited to the environment died from the rune scarring.  

He was one of the lucky ones, or perhaps unlucky ones, depending on how you viewed it. He was Jermayan of the Ice Bear Clan. He had survived birth and his rite of passage. He bore two runes and was working on achieving enough honors for a third. The Runes were life and the more you bore, the better your chances of survival. The Rune Priests had summoned him along with four others. They were to travel out of the homeland on Honor Quest. The Gods had spoken and the people needed something only found elsewhere. They were to retrieve it at any cost.

The five of them set forth down the mountains of ice and snow. The first in their party perished from the ground giving way beneath their feet. The second died during an ambush by unknown assailants. He had never seen anything like them before. It was one thing to die to the elements, another to unnamed aggressors. His last two companions did before they ever reached the tunnel. A mighty blizzard had wracked the land; they died with the Rune song upon their lips.

He knew not why he survived and the others perished. He could not stop the quest. Alone he continued until he reached the Harbor. He didn’t even know what the Port cities name was and it didn’t really matter. What he needed was pulling him ever forward. He would know it when he found it. This is how he found himself on a floating city. It was unnatural to say the least. He couldn’t fault them for their freedom. It was the greatest gift any could have. He had seen many strange things already on this Honor Quest. He had no doubt he would find even odder things to compare them too. Leaving his people was the hardest thing he had ever done. He bore more scars, both physical and mental. He would survive; it was all he could do.

He used his great strength and size to advantage on this moving city. He found that for food and shelter he could do manual labor. Something many people seemed to hate doing. Few could match his strength and stamina and it showed. He didn’t understand the weaker races. They lived much better than his own people did and flourished. While his own people suffered greatly, but were in many ways hardier and should be able to survive better. He worked without complaint, doing whatever jobs were given to him. He didn’t know where he was heading, so any destination was as good as another until he reached it.

He saw the strangest thing one day while resting from his labors. He saw tiny, female training children to fight. He could tell she was skilled, but was unsure how she would fair against one of the People. She looked so helpless and frail. She did not seem the type that could survive the harsh northern climates. The people here knew her well and sent their children to learn from her. He did not know her fighting style; it was all punches and kicks. Was it not better to increase their strength and stamina for weapons? The axe, hammer, shield and sword were the only weapons one needed to survive. With those heavy tools and strong will to survive.  

He was stripped to the waist, pouring buckets of cold water over his head. His muscles were taut and heavily corded. He stood head and shoulders above even the tallest here. His golden, shoulder length hair matted to his skull with water was a stark contrast to most of the darker haired people of the South. He did feel out of place but it didn’t bother him as it would most. He would continue until he died or was able to return from his quest. The future was uncertain and the eyes of the Gods rested heavily upon him. It was a heavy burden, especially since the death of his companions.

Each scar visible on his body told a story, as did the runes carved into his flesh. He was a shield bearer and that gave him specific duties to the people around him. His first duty was to protect those who could not protect themselves. The second duty was to take wounds for those who could not survive such attacks. Looking around, he was not hopeful of being able to fulfill his vows. He did not see much if any weapons or armor around. It was as if they did not fear attack or the elements of the open ocean. How could people live in such a carefree and easygoing way? This entire place was the opposite of everything he had come to believe was reality. How could so many of the weak survive to adulthood in this place? Was there no enemies? Were there no ravaging storms that could strip the flesh from the body or freeze the very marrow in their bones? It was unnatural and foreign.

He shook his head at her questions. He found her odd, but she was the most interesting person he had seen since getting on this moving continent. He shrugged and scooped up a pack that he had left near his feet. It was bulging and few if any of the people here could lift it unaided. He didn’t speak much, but he looked around for danger as soon as the claxons began sounding. Her explanation settled much as he took off after her. His long legs easily keeping stride until they were inside.

He wasn’t sure what to say to her constant questions. When they were essentially trapped inside the area, he frowned. He wasn’t used to being trapped in a metal coffin; he couldn’t feel the fresh air on his skin or hear the constant splashing of even the water anymore. It was enough to make him feel sick to his stomach. He was a creature of the open tundra and freezing mountains. He hadn’t even been offered a cabin such as these. Apparently he was too large to fit comfortably in one of these coffins they called rooms.

“They told me I could sleep on deck as long as I helped then with their labors. They never mentioned storms or what to do if I was caught in one. I would still be on the outer deck where you were teaching the thin children to dance forms. I am Jermayan of the ice bear clan. I can barely breathe in this metal coffin. How do you live in here without fresh air and sunlight?”

He turned very suddenly. He had moved faster than a normal human should be able too. She would see a flash of pale brown light, but it could be her imagination. When he stopped, he was hunkered over a bucket on his knees. He was heaving and retching as whatever was in his stomach came up. He seemed not to be enjoying the confines of this place very much. He was beginning to wonder if he should have stayed on deck and just weathered the storm there, tied to something sturdy, as he would have done in the mountains.

His pack had come off his shoulders and one of the ties had come undone. She would see what looked like prime pelts from various mountain animals, but what would really catch her attention was a set of tusks that gleamed pure ivory. There were various glittering things, that he likely saw as pretty, but worthless for trade. He didn’t seem to care that a pouch of precious stones and gold had fallen from his pack and ended up all over her floor. Of course, he was too busy now to care.

Jermayan didn’t respond right away. He sat for several moments dry heaving and gasping as he tried to catch his breath. He had never felt like this before. She would hear him murmuring about a metal coffin and no clean air. When he finally looked up from the bucket and back toward her, he sighed and sat next to the bucket.

“I had trouble like this passing through the tunnel as well. I don’t seem to do well in enclosed places I feel trapped, no wind on my face. No water splashing over me. As for sparkly stones, they have no value for survival. They are just pretty to look at. No worth to the People. Who would steal from someone as poor as me? I have my weapons and gear, but they are not worth much. They are not even worth much. I made them mostly myself after my rite of passage. They are considered apprentice work among my people. “

He undid the ties on his pack and pulled out the ice bear tusks, they were nearly three feet long apiece and had a wickedly sharp point on one end. He withdrew the pelts next. Showing her what he had brought with him that he found of great worth.

“Now these are priceless, not because they are rare, but because they can be crafted into weapons or armor. They will protect one from the harshest of blizzards. Such care is taken in the process of curing the pelts and removing the tusks. Sparkly stones can’t compare to treasures such as these.”

He had waited until she had returned with the medicine to speak. He wasn’t sure if he should take it or not. He wasn’t seasick; in fact, he enjoyed the sea so far. The salt water was different and he had never seen so much water that one couldn’t drink. After a moment, he downed the pills she had given him and nodded.

“Tea would be good. However, it is too hot here to enjoy properly. They don’t add butter or lard to it. Which is regrettable, but it is to be expected in such a hot, humid place. Fish is agreeable too, but lowlanders don’t seem to use spears for fishing. They use tiny string with hook or giant nets. What good are little strings when you catch big fish? Little line snaps and you lose line and hook. Big nets good for fishing, enjoy hauling them in when they let me. I strong like ice bear. Even pull boats when allowed. Is there more to floating city then outside and metal coffins you sleep in? They never even offer me room, just tell me sleep outside and do heavy work they need four people or metal arm thing to do.”

He seemed very out of place. His questions were mostly substandard and he didn’t seem used to speaking so much. Alternatively, it was probable that the language he was speaking was slightly different or not his first language. He had strange pauses and his dialect was somewhat harsh and heavy. He also seemed very much confused in this world.

He tried to follow the conversation, but he got lost quickly. All of this was very new to him and he couldn’t even begin to formulate any real questions. He was good at listening and patient enough not to have trouble at least understanding her words. A few things that she talked about he had no idea what they ever were.

“Umm, do you have writing materials? I want to try something but drawing pictures in air hard. I has questions about some things…How can picture of meadow be safe? What is bathroom? Place for bath I assume, but not all. Ohh and why for you put ice in tea?”

He sipped the tea at first, not sure of cold tea at all. Then he nodded once and downed the whole thing in a few short gulps, as if he was quaffing ale. He had much to thinking to do. If she provided any type of writing materials, no matter what kind, he would write in his own language. She may or may not have ever seen anything like it. He was drawing out runes, but not like, he was writing questions. He had to use bind runes, which is joined runes, for clarity of mind and learning. For it to work, he had to draw them in just the right way. When he finished drawing them, it took him a few tries to get it just as he wanted them. The runes would glow vibrantly as he tried to assimilate knowledge more easily. He realized the world he had entered was nothing like his own home.

He rather liked the airflow once she turned the system on. He took in deep breaths and closed his eyes. He pretended that he was not inside this giant metal coffin, but on an icy slope, the wind rifling through his hair and blowing his clothes in many directions. The image combined with the free moving air was enough to make him feel better; it was like a type of meditation. His mind told him he was somewhere else, so his body relaxed and cooled down. He watched her prepare the fish stew as he thought about the best way to phrase questions.

“What is it like to sleep in a bed? I slept in men’s quarters at home. We use stone ledges heaped with furs for warmth. Mostly sleep on ground, cause me like to be close to the earth. Not sure if bed work for me. Bed to high off floor and likely too soft to be comfortable. Um”

He paused as if thinking through the other things she had said. Trying to think of responses to some of the other things she had said.

“Me pull in big net, while others bet on when me would finish or grow too tired to continue. Shouldn’t they have offered me some of the winnings? I did all work; they just collected money for what I did. Me think this is wrong. Not know what to do about it in this case. At home me would challenge and if win fight, would get share of money. But this not home, this strange free-floating city. “

He seemed confused about the laws and rules of this city. His honor didn’t like underhanded things and his morals didn’t sit well with some things either. He just didn’t understand enough about this world. This was why he had used the rune magic. Something he almost never did because he preferred to do things on his own. He needed to learn quickly for his own sake and it wasn’t really a shortcut, it just helped him understand things better. Her last question was easy to answer, since he didn’t have to think to talk about his home.

“Yes, we call it the Ever Frost. The land knows only one season. It is always winter, there is little thaw, but that happens only once every twenty years. Still have to cut holes in ice to fish or go swimming. We live high up in the mountains. We don’t have much in way of fights even between clans. Were too worried about survival. Fierce animals roam the area, large ice bear with massive tusks, very large cat with curved tusks. The land itself is treacherous, many die to elements. Runes protect us, but only hardiest survive climate. We live in family units until rite of passage. Then women move to women quarters and learn women things. Men move to men’s quarters and learn men’s things. Marriage common, very hard way of life. My friend Married right after her passage to adulthood. She was twelve, but most in the clan don’t live past thirty.”

He seemed very sad to impart that. He doubted the people of this place knew he was considered over middle aged already. He was beginning to understand why he was sent on this honor quest. He spoke his thoughts aloud instead of holding them in.

“Me know what me must do. Me on Honor quest and my task is to save my people. Me not know how this can be done, but must improve survival for me people. No other task is worthy enough to receive more runes. Me know what must be done, but not how to do it. Me started with more companions, they died before we reach city that connect tunnel and dock place where me catch floating city.”

He nodded as he was beginning to understand. When she showed him how the safe was hidden he frowned, but understood why valuable shad to be hidden. If they were out in the open any could just take them. He couldn’t remember the last incident of thievery among his people. It could be because the first warning came with the removal of the thumb from the offending. The second warning took the thumb of the opposing hand. If a third warning was needed, the offending hand was removed completely and runes tattooed on the face telling all of the thieves’ misdeeds. In his world, loss of even one thumb typically meant death for one reason or another.  Into the safe went his wealth as she referred to it. The tusks went under the bed, which baffled him even more. He lay down for a moment and felt as if he was sinking into quicksand. It was excessively soft at least to his way of feeling things. Instead, he shifted the blankets and pillow to the floor.

He mentally added things to his remember list about the bathroom and listened to her descriptions. He nodded slowly as he followed her on the little guided tour. He was genuinely surprised about the gambling. He didn’t really like gambling, since, it was typically not worth it. Even if he was sure of his abilities, there was always some better or better suited to the task. He still felt out of place here. Like it was a completely different world and he was trapped in it until he found what he needed.

“An attack might be interesting. Me would at least get some real exercise in. Hauling nets and carrying heavy things just doesn’t give much exercise. Need more range of motion. Runes teach many things, Priests and shamans know much of science and technology just from rune study. All technology began fro runes. If you take twelve runes and bind them together, you get a perfect circle. It also forms a wheel. Six runes bound together give us an arch, perfect for building much. But as you see from just me explanation. There is multiple things just to learn. The runes use both simple and complex math. The more one delves into the runes the more they learn of the mysteries of this world.”

He listened to her thoughts on swimming and fishing and the city in general before responding. He had to be careful how he spoke of it.

“How long storm last? Me want to see what real city looks like. Me need things too, just dock people not believe me had valuable stuff for trade. They laughed at me cause I wore furs of ice bear. Call me uncivilized and treat me as inferior. Never offer me more than hard labor in exchange for dried fish. Barely enough for child to live on. Why you get much larger amount?”

He sighed heavily as he thought about his situation. It wasn’t fun to be treated poorly. He had assumed they were giving him standard fare and food in exchange for his work. Not so they could be lazy while he did as much work as he could. He enjoyed helping and had the strength and stamina to help him help others. He did not like to be cheated. He wondered what she would say about this. He was interested in the idea of using the mountains to produce heat, but it only solved part of the problem.

“The People are nomads, we can’t live in one place or we would starve to death. We have to follow the herds. Live much in tents made of elk hide. Huddle close for warmth. Weather too harsh too stay I one place. Even places of safety vanish in blizzards. Rage for months on end, sometimes ever seem to end. Caves collapse, trees not provide cover. Safety only in moving and finding warmth. True issue is quality of life. We die very young, those not strong enough die at birth. No way to stop it, sometimes the first rune won’t take and infant dies as a result. As for me companions, they have returned to the Mother’s Last Embrace. Me have trouble in this place, not enough land. Me prefer sleep on hard earth. Comforted by the small embrace of the Mother.”

He followed her drawing as best he could. The world was very large it seemed. It was much larger than his country. He was about halfway through his stew when the loud sound came up and she raced off. When she came back in fighting clothes and with weapons, he didn’t bother putting on his armor. He just grabbed the massive two-handed axe he had with his stuff and raced along with her. Seeing the slimy fish creatures on deck, he let out a blood-curdling war cry.

He surged forward without real regard for his safety. He towered above everyone that had joined the fray. Then his voice lifted in song as he cut large swathes with his axe. His massive strength and size let him do things normal humans couldn’t. The runes scarred on his body glowed even through his clothes, but he was still bare to the waist. He cut through sahguin, but that was not all he did. The slimy creatures broke ranks from him. They couldn’t surround him and his axe cut in multiple directions. His song was haunting to the enemies, but it would bolster the fighters on the ship. Wherever there was a break in the line, he seemed to be their instinctively. He didn’t just fight to kill; he fought to protect those who were fighting bravely. Whenever someone fell, he was there, forcing the sahguin back so that the other could be pulled to safety.

He was a shield and his body could deflect weapons as well as his axe could parry. The sahguin couldn’t get close enough to him for a clean strike, wherever he fought the sahguin were forced back. His endurance never flagged, at least it wouldn’t while he fought to protect others and rid the ship of this menace. He had a feeling they would think twice about attacking in the future. His long legs propelled him forward.  The reach of his arms and axe gave him an extreme advantage even against spears or tridents. Against his axe, their weapons, shields and scales may well have been paper. The axe was a crushing weapon, made originally to fight against heavy armored foes. It was perfect in this kind of fighting. He didn’t just the sahguin; he crushed them and drove them before him.

He was focused, but his song grew louder to encourage the men and women fighting. He kept an eye on the battlefield. Watching for weaknesses in the line of fighters so defenses could be shorn up and the line kept solid. He also hit weak points in the enemy lines, causing confusion and fear among the fish-like creatures. He took several weak hits, most of them deflected by the runes of protection and shielding. That he took even minor wounds was impressive, but there were a lot of them. He wished that his companions had survived; this would be a massacre with four of the People. Their battle song would drown out the storm and the sahguin would flee in terror against their might.

His eyes fell on Shea. She was holding her own in combat. The other fighters weren’t faring as well, but he was limiting casualties as best he could. He could stop all of them, but perhaps his presence could turn the tide or inspire heroics among those who made this place their home. He felt a spear poke against his chest. He lifted his axe above his head one handed and brought it straight down as his voice rose to the heavens. He sliced the offending fish in half lengthwise, blood and guts spraying everywhere. He checked the wound on his chest and brushed it off. He would need to have his wounds treated eventually. Otherwise, he would burn too much energy, but there was a battle to be one. He would not falter until the last of this scum was driven back into the sea or dead at his feet.

He looked around to make sure none of the defenders were too close to him. He jumped straight up as the sahguin pressed close. Since he had seemed to be confused and they were pressing the only advantage they had seen so far against the giant. He came down hard and slammed both fists and axe into the deck. There was a rumble what looked like a tremor heading straight for the sahguin in front of him. The tremor was pure earth rune magic. What did you call an earthquake when on the water? He had no damn clue but it seemed to scare both people and fish creatures the same. None of the defenders should be knocked to the ground by the tremor; the nasty fishes were a different story. As they fell to the ship deck or over the side and back into the water, they made very easy prey for any willing to cut them down. He was up and moving again once, he had dealt with the sahguin in the immediate area.

He was beginning to slow, but it was probably from even the small wounds he carried. None of them alone was fatal, but this battle needed to be over soon. His battle song reached a pinnacle and it was almost a type of magic itself. It was a song of inspiration, bravery and heroics. It allowed the People to shake off lethargy, shock, and even wounds that could potentially kill just so they could keep going. That was what surviving meant. It was reaching the breaking point and surpassing it, while having the willpower and force of heart to keep going. He didn’t see two options, survival and pressing forward was the only choice for him. The thought of letting the others mop up the remaining sahguin never entered his mind. He would fight to the conclusion. His battle song raged through the storm. To him, this was the greatest day of his life. He was doing what he did best, protecting those who needed it and vanquishing the enemies who stood before him. Even if he did little else on this trip, he had no doubts that he would be remembered if only by the people who fought here.

He wasn’t alone; heroes were born during every attack. Others would strive for what he had done. There was no greater feeling then when one could be inspired to rise to the challenge. In many ways, those who rose to his call to do greater deeds were more remarkable then he himself ways. He may have done great damage to the enemies’ ranks, but he was more concerned with the lives of those who fought near him. He already knew in his heart what the next rune he received would be, if he lived long enough. His power with the earth was already strong. He did not wish to see others suffer; he was a shield for those who could not protect themselves. Even the strongest needed help sometimes.  

His song reached its pinnacle, blood coated his bare upper body, and the runes had dimmed from the damage he took. They could only stop so much after all. He found himself surrounded by the sahguin. He had no regrets of his part in this battle. He was right where he needed to be. The enemy focused on him and the few others that had made themselves too great of threats. He noticed Shea was still killing. She was tiny and didn’t appear to be strong, but she fought like a cornered saber-toothed cat. He himself was like a mountain.  His muscular build massive, but he was also flexible and limber. He closed his eyes, listening for other battle songs.

As soon as he closed his eyes, the sahguin surged toward him from all sides possible at once. His voice was moving toward the closing verse. The sahguin struck in unison. More than a dozen spears hit his body at once. The runes flared violently one last time and a force of visible brown energy slammed out from him in all directions. He was of the earth and the earth protected him, no matter how far he was from it. He knew there was solid ground beneath him. The bottom of the ocean was still earth, no matter how many tons of water separated him from it. He was not invincible in combat, but he was strong and could do thing others could not. The sahguin who had surrounded him would never fight again. Their bodies had been torn to shreds by a violent blast of earth rune magic.

He dropped to one knee; the runes on his body had winked out. His rune magic completely spent. He had retained his senses; he had not allowed the rage to overcome him. His wounds were many, and he could feel his body trying to burn away the infection caused by the slime. He was breathing heavily, unable to maintain the wind needed to continue his battle song. Had he done enough? Were the sahguin retreating into the sea? His eyes were heavy, but he couldn’t stop yet. He had to get up and move. The battle was not yet over. He struggled to his feet once more. His breathing growing more labored as he held himself up with his axe. He would remain on his feet, even if he couldn’t swing his axe anymore. He wondered if it was the only thing still holding him up. Then he started to laugh. With what little remained of his strength, he raised his axe above his head. He threw back his head and shouted toward the heavens.

“OOOOOODIIIIINNNNN”

It wasn’t a battle cry this time. Almost more like a prayer. Yet it was enough. The results of this day would speak for themselves

Not being human gave Shea a small advantage over the other fighters. She was faster and stronger than the average human.  Using her strength to her advantage she fought her way through the Sahguin until she was in the thick of where they were coming up out of the ocean. At the end of the docks. For every injury she incurred a Sahguin died and a second one became mortally wounded. The sheer number of them ensured that she would be unable to avoid all the spears and tridents thrusting towards her.

On particular strike caught her in the side, the force of it spinning her around. Instead of allowing the injury to slow her down or halt her, instead she used the momentum to slash out as she spun. She was upwind from the others who were fighting and the sounds of battle were whipped away from her. Faintly, every so often, a music like sound seemed to rise on the wind but it was torn away from her ears so fast that she couldn't make it out. The battle was dragging on but a sudden tremor in the dock, which was made to bend and move with the water, caused several of the creatures close by to go flying backwards. Blinking in surprise she simply smiled and laid into the ones who hadn't been thrown.

The song reached the closer fighters and was whipped high above the wall to the Mages that were starting to tire and bolstered them. The men on the docks who were in range of the song attacked with renewed vigor, some even fought until their bodies keeled over from the injuries and they breathed no more.  

The Sahguin, when the great power blasted outward, saw this and knew fear. They retreated in massive number, fleeing away from the city, surging around Shea in their haste to leave. She stared, dumbfounded, as they retreated. She waited until not even one remained before she turned, in case more were coming and they'd just fallen back to regroup. Once she was sure they were gone she turned and stumbled back towards the others.

The Mages removed themselves from the wall and returned to the inner city while the rest on the docks began to take care of the dead, ignoring their own injuries to do so. Shea was no different. Each fallen warrior she accorded the highest honor by weighting them down with stone and setting them gently in the water. One by one the dead sank beneath the sea and a soft song rose up. One of sorrow. One to mourn the loss of such valiant men and She's voice joined with the others, rising high upon the wind, the only female voice in the group.

"Fought they did, valiantly,
Died they did, with integrity,
Yesterday we laughed and sang,
Yet now they leave us with only a memory.

Into the de~ep, the depths they go,
When we'll meet again we do not know,
We fi~shed, we lau~ghed, we fou~ght,
But now we say goodb~ye.

So now we send them to their final sleep,
Into the depths and back to earth,
Rest well, in honor, your family will be fine,
Because we of the water take care of your line."

The song faded off as the last body sank into the depths. Turning, the injured all began moving into the walls. While the storm had lessened to a great degree and it was obvious there would be no need to close the doors most were sad and wished to take comfort in the company of their families. Shea continued to work long after the others had gone inside.

She had paused for just a moment near Jermayan, just long enough to urge him up by dosing him with enough of her energy to get him moving, "head in now. Rest. Eat. I'll be in soon," before moving off to clean the blood and debris off of the docks. The weapons she gathered and very carefully cleaned the tips. She also tried her best to retrieve her own weapons, though some were so damaged that they weren't worth bothering with. She made many trips between the docks and the wall, putting all the weapons in storage after they were cleaned.

Finally the docks were clear of the weapons and the dead Sahguin. The bits were already being washed away by the rain that was coming down. Turning she began the trek to the wall, her shoulders bowed. The walk was easier as the wind was actually at her back and pushing her forward. But once she was out of the wind getting up the stairs was exhausting. She opened her door and fell inward, eyes closing up and her body going limp. She'd used everything she had to battle and even though she wasn't a true warrior she'd used her skills to protect her temporary home. Her black outfit was shredded from both the winds ferocity as well as the Sahguin's she'd fought. Most of the skin that was exposed had cuts, shallow in some spots and deep in others, and the exposed skin that wasn't cut had windburn. She had no energy to tend her wounds. She had no energy to put up dinner. Hell she couldn't even muster anything to get fully inside her quarters. She might have tried if she were even conscious but that too was something she was not.

He headed in first at a slow walk. He actually hadn’t managed to make it much farther than the entranceway of her rooms when she caught up to him. He turned just in time to catch her as she fell unconscious. He dropped his axe; it felt heavier than she did. He closed the door and heard an audible click of it locking. He nodded and carried her to her room. It was a very slow walk for him. He was barely still going himself. He simply refused to stop going and that was that. He laid her down carefully noticing her clothes were in shambles. That made it easier for him to clean and bandage her wounds with strips of clean cloth.

It was nothing he hadn’t done before. He cleaned and patched his own wounds as best he could. He even tried the weird shower thing in the bathroom. It took him a bit to figure out how to get even warm water flowing. Nevertheless, it helped him clean the wounds out at least. The bandaging process was excruciating for him. When he finished as much as he could he just fell onto the bed face first. His massive body looked odd as he laid half on and half off the bed. His legs hung mostly off it. His arms spread wide and his head turned to the side. He had managed to eat a few spoonfuls of fish stew before stumbling to the bed. He barely had the willpower left to do it. It was better than drowning in a bowl of fish stew. That would be pathetic. He couldn’t manage to die in the battle heroically, instead drowns in his fish stew because he was too exhausted to lift his head out of it. He would have a name forever then it just wouldn’t be complimentary.

He would either sleep until woken, or his body naturally let him wake up. He had used a great deal of power in that battle. Sleep and food were the only things that could truly restore him. He still had no idea what sort of reception he would get from the people and dockworkers when everything was said and done. He guessed it didn’t matter right now. What happened would happen. He couldn’t change it, but he could improve on his standard of living while stuck on the boat.

He woke up eventually and dragged himself into the bathroom. He didn’t notice the water running at first, to busy answering the call of nature. Then he noticed her lying in the bathtub, water running as she twisted in agony. He thought he had cleaned her wounds well enough. He guessed he missed some. He turned off the water as best he could. Then emptied the water from the tub, he wrapped her up in the towel, before lifting her out and carrying her to her room, where he dried her off as best he could and then wrapped her securely in her blankets.

“I will be back with a healer. If I can find one, just hold on a little longer.”

He was wearing only a pair of pants now. He couldn’t find his boots and his head hurt badly. His wounds were still healing. However, he looked like someone had used him for a pincushion. Most of the scars looked terrible and not just from this last battle. He groaned audibly as he walked barefoot into the glaring and relentless sun. He stepped out onto the dock, since he had no idea how to get to the inner city. His headache flared and he saw spots in his vision. It was as if a sun had burst behind his eyelids. In all honesty, he shouldn’t be moving either, but he stubborn and refused to give in. he stopped the first worker he found.

“Is there healers or doctors nearby? I need help, but don’t know where to go. It’s not for me, but I need a good healer badly. Can you help me?”

He looked almost ready to fall over, but he couldn’t tell one person from another right now. He was on his feet and that is all that mattered. As long as he could keep moving forward, everything would be ok.

“Shea is hurt bad, I cleaned the wounds and bandaged them, but found her lying in her bathtub with the water running, it had been running a long time, she is delirious and has a fever. Sahguin slime is eating her up inside. The wounds look bad too. Help me please.”

He was almost out of the little strength he had gotten over the past two days. He looked hopefully at the worker and those around him, then his eyes rolled up in his head and he fell to the deck, his body unconscious body was wracked with spasms as he lost the strength to fight off the infection.

He didn’t notice any of what was going on. He was too busy staring at the back of his eyelids. Even when they forced him to drink the nasty grey tea, he didn’t stir. The only time he needed to be held still was when the doctor was cleaning his wounds. Even that did not cause him to wake up. He was out for the count and even more so when the healer gave him the double whammy shots. It was like being dead to the world and made it so much easier to deal with, since he wouldn’t have to have awkward memories when he really did wake up.

His eyes opened an unknown amount of time later. He had heard something, but didn’t seem to understand why he was in the bed. It was excessively soft to be a real bed. He was reaching for his axe, but it wasn’t where he would have put it. He always kept his weapons nearby. He sat up quite suddenly and forced his battered body onto his feet. He doubted Shea would be up yet, her wounds were terrible, even in comparison to his. He took stock of the situation and wondered why he was naked? He wasn’t sure he could put his own pants on. He settled for a breechclout. It was a full one and covered him fully. He lifted one of his smaller axes since his massive axe was likely still out front where he dropped it. Then and only then did he step out of the room. The throwing axe held at the ready in case of need. He doubted he could fight, but that never stopped him before.

He looked around the area, moving toward the stairs at a fast waddle. He needed to check on Shea before he worried about intruders. His memories were fragmented so he wasn’t sure what was going on. He only knew that he had to check on Shea before he could search the rest of the place. He barely knew where he was. The runes glowed a very sickly color. He didn’t activate them; they had activated themselves based on his state of mind and health. He was running on low, but he had a duty to attend too and nothing would stop him from discharging it.

He moved into Shea’s room, looking around carefully. He didn’t see anything out of the ordinary, other than it was too clean. It wasn’t this clean before he had gone looking for help. He sat on the edge of Shea’s bed and put a hand on her forehead. He wished he possessed the rune of healing. In a way, he did, but it wasn’t up to him if it worked or not. He looked about the room, finally coming up with what appeared to be a small paintbrush from the bathroom. There was even paint stuff to go with it. It smelled funny, kind of like spearmint. He returned to her room and opened the tube before squeezing some onto the small straight brush thing. He started simply drawing the rune of healing on her forehead. It was a “B” made with only straight lines with triangles, as well as a hash markdown at an angle from the top, left side of the “B”. They he drew runes for strength and protection on her arms and legs. He added the rune of healing where it was needed, followed by runes for endurance and faster regeneration at various points.

He sat back when he finished. The whole room smelled like spearmint. It was a little weird for paint to have a smell like that. He watched and waited for the tell tale glow of rune activation. It was in the hands of the Gods now. He had done everything he could for her. He stood shakily and replaced the paint and brush in the bathroom. He remembered to clean the brush before returning it to the cup holder that he had found it in. Then he went and searched the rest of the house. Wondering what he would find. He could smell something delicious cooking, but he was still hearing something out of place. He couldn’t place it no matter how hard he tried. He was probably missing things as he searched the place.

This is why he missed the healer who slept in a comfortable chair. He still couldn’t find the odd sound. He shrugged and went to investigate what smelled so good. He set his throwing axe on the table and slowly fetched a bowl from the cupboard. He pulled the top off the pot that was bubbling away. That was when a sound came from nearby. It was definitely a snore. It was loud so that was why he recognized it. It had started softly and more like a whisper. He set the lid back in place and tried to find the source. He felt blind and out of sorts. His stomach was gnawing at his backbone and nothing was making sense to him.

The trio bustled back in, the heavy axe held between the three of them. They'd had to craft something that would cover the blade and make it safe to carry since it was too heavy for the three old-timers to carry by themselves. They managed to get it in the door and set it down enough away from the door that it wouldn't be in the way. The trio wiped their foreheads and heaved a sigh almost as one entity. The oldest one spoke up, "whew that was a heavy axe." The second, who had a mustache responded with, "dunno how that kid carries that." Third just chuckled and moved into the room, spotting the 'kid' up and about, "Well lookie there. He's awake."

The trio bustled forward into the room, careful not to jostle the slumbering healer who's feet were hanging off the couch, "Sit down young man. We'll git ya some food," one of the men pushed him towards a chair while stating, "you like yer about ta fall down." The second one laughed and went to check on Shea, pausing as he entered the room, "what the....hey ~Kid~ did you slather toothpaste all over her?" The other two nearly tripped over themselves and each other to go see, then came back out laughing...where they ~did~fall onto each other into a small pile. They were quickly back on their feet though and back to bustling around.

A plate heaped with various types of prepared fish was set down in front of the Viking and the two sat down, steaming mugs of coffee settled in front of them, "So where ya from, youngun?" The youngest of the trio asked while the second one simply leaned back and took a drink of the steaming liquid.

The eldest man was busy washing off the toothpaste. He'd just gotten the last of it off when Shea's eyes opened, "oh hey Gramps...," She tried to get up but was pressed back down to the bed, "Oh no ya don't! Yer in no way well enough to be gettin up." She protested but he would hear it, "I'll go get you some food, missy. Ya need ta eat in order ta fight off the Slime Poison properly," then he bustled out of the room.

Shea blinked. All she'd wanted to know was why the room stank of toothpaste. The smell was so strong to her senses that it was making her nose run and her eyes water. When he bustled back in she whispered out, "why does it stink of toothpaste and can you please open a window to air it out?" He sat the bowl down and went over and opened the window wide, "there ya go. We'll get rid of that smell quick now."

She went to sit up for the second time and got pressed back down again. She let out a frustrated growl and glared at him. He chuckled and started spooning the broth into her mouth, "Doc's orders. Yer first meal is the special broth that helps fight Slime Poisoning. Its tasty stuff so at least that's somethin."

She ate the broth until her eyelids drooped down over her cheeks and she was yet again sunk into a forced slumber. He bustled out of the room with the half filled bowl, "she wasn't real hungry but she had ta get some of this stuff in her, doc's orders. She's back asleep now." Setting the bowl down he got his own cup of coffee and then sat down at the table, pinning the boy with a stare, "I don't know what you were thinkin, putting toothpaste all over her, but jokes like that aren't funny. Yer lucky there wasn't any magical energy in those markings you put on her otherwise you coulda hurt her more. Her own personal magick will help her heal faster than we can heal but other magicks can interfere with that."

He pointed to the Runes on the boy, "those are YOUR personal magic. Just because hers aren't visible doesn't mean she doesn't have any." He took a drink, "Those might work on one of us, we're pure up human, but she's not and those that aren't tend to have very finicky systems that don't take kindly to outside interference." He pointed to the healer, "there's a reason she didn't use magick to heal Shea. Their magicks aren't complimentary and she'd have done more harm than good. Shea's race was made by the ancestors to be hardier than humans. They don't have a whole lot of magick but what magick they do have, by Shea's age, they know how to use consciously, and subconsciously, to the best of their own abilities. She's a cut above the rest around here, works hard, is friendly and kind. She's given you a place to sleep and eat. So you better treat her well. No more pranks, though..." he chuckled, "it was funny. Using something you brush your teeth with to try and use for magical purposes..," he shook his head and stood and grabbed up a couple bites of food and sat back down, pulling out a deck of cards which he had soon delt to his cronies.

He sat down when they told him too. He nodded politely to each of them in turn as a sign of respect. To him their ages demanded respect since it was very rare for his kind to live into their forties and fifties. When they asked about the toothpaste, he frowned.

“Whats toothpaste? Me not use my own magic on her. Me not have ability to heal. She need more healing, Me ask Gods to heal her. Divine healing, not personal magic, Gods no discriminate based on race.”

He nodded as if it made all the sense in the world. He ate heartily; he was going to be ready to work again soon. He couldn’t wait, since it was the best way to build up ones strength.

“Me used little, straight, paint brush and strange smelling paint me find in bathroom. Me concerned greatly for Shea. Me must protect those here. It’s part of me Honor Quest. Ohh Me from very far north. Permafrost? Me not know the right word. Ice never leaves, have to cut hole to fish, bathe or swim. Me is Jermayan Bear-Slayer of the Ice Bear clan. Me thank you for helping Me and Shea. She nice and good fighter. Me needed to protect her, just as me took many wounds to protect other fighters from the mad fish walker things. Sahguin me thinks they be called. Me can’t explain better no words from me language transfer well. Runes make me protect. The Need of others activates it, me want to protect with all me heart. In return, me get other things. Though it not be sacrifice, me enjoys it. “

He seemed rather confused when they mentioned pranks. It was another word he didn’t know the meaning for. He looked at them confused when they kept saying the word. It wasn’t clicking with him for some reason. Even unknown to him, the Vikings did not have a word for prankster. There was technically one, but it was the name of the God. However, prank was not a term at all. He would understand trickster, since there was in fact a Trickster God.

“No understand prank. It not word in me vocabulary. Me always serious, Not know any other way. Up until now, all me had worry about was survival at any costs. In Northland, there be danger at every turn. Even small change in weather can mean death for the People. Or if the herds move oddly and we are stuck in blizzard. Many starve cause no tracks to find herds. Can take many days to re-find them. Me able work soon? Me want to haul nets again.”

The trio all burst into laughter, "boy what you call paint isn't paint at all. It's a cleaner we use to keep our teeth healthy. That brush is how we apply the paste to our teeth. Then we brush vigorously," he pantomimed the motion using his finger against his teeth for a moment, "so that we get all the dirt off of them, since food can leave a film that gives us foul breath and can over time damage our teeth."

The other two nodded in agreement but didn't speak up. They were too busy guarding their hands whilst sneaking peaks at the guy who was speaking's hand subtly. He tucked his cards closer to his chest for a moment while listening but then stated, "a prank is when you do something kind of funny, kind of mean, to someone else. Playing a trick on them, basically."

The healer woke and heard the very tail end when he was asking when he'd be able to return to work and piped up in a sultry voice, "Not for a few more days. You're not well yet. In fact once you eat your dinner you're going right back to bed, mister."

He scowled at the healer. He was not pleased with that statement. He wanted to work because it would give him renewed purpose. There was no reason for him to wait a few more days; he was stronger than any one man on the dock even now. A few more days would see him stronger than any four. HE enjoyed working and was good for making a body feel good and exercised.

“That doesn’t make sense. The body needs exercise and use in order to get better. Lying in a bed will not get me better. Lots of good food, water and exercise is what I need most. I have fought with worse wounds than this. Why should something easy like hard labor be different than battle? My common tongue isn’t good, but the more I hear it, the more I learn now. The Gods have seen fit to help me in this. Just as they will help, Shea heal and become stronger, faster and hardier then before. She will be like mini-Viking. She was already more than human. She will surpass those limitations too.”

His common tongue was definitely better, his clarity of mind was making it so he could process things much faster and by listening to all the talking, he was learning what would take weeks or days in moments. If he could keep up the pace of learning, he would soon be fluent in the common tongue. In turn, this allowed him to add words to his Viking language. Things that weren’t native, but he could give meaning too.

He looked around, though he was tired and still didn’t see a point to a lot of this. He felt like they saw him as a great, oversized child. He didn’t know or understand their trials, but he understood his own very well. His entire life was based on finding the will to move forward. To survive by any means necessary. As long as he could stand, he could press forward. There was no defeat in him. He would never give up as long as some life remained within him. His need was great, and he felt the burden on his shoulders of the task he must complete. The whole of his people, not just his own tribe, depended on his success. He carried a weight on his back far greater than the slime poison. He had to find a way to protect all of his people. That was his duty and he could not put it aside or even delay it. The longer he took, the more lives would be lost.

He looked down at his hands as if inspecting them. He worked his fingers and hands slowly while inhaling and exhaling in time with his own heartbeat. He had explained some of his burden to Shea, but the magnitude of his honor quest was one of legendary status. Why was he chosen to be the one to bear that burden? Why did he survive when others perished? He had so many questions and there was no one who could answer them. Everywhere he looked; there was only more questions and no real answers. He sighed once more and looked toward the healer.

“How long until I can go into the inner city and get supplies? I may have to wait for Shea to be well enough. The prices here don’t make sense to me and I wouldn’t know if I was cheated or not. According to Shea, money is not going to be an issue for me, but I want to conserve it as long as possible at any rate. Everything I brought with me can be of use either here or in another city. All in high demand, even if its worthless to me or my people. I feel lost and confused. I bear a burden far greater than I ever imagined when I set out from my home in the far north. I started with companions, but all perished before we made it out of the frozen tundra. I alone carry it now. As long as I have my purpose, I can’t die from something as trivial as slime poisoning. I carry the weight of an entire people. Their hopes and dreams. More than that, my Honor Quest will save the lives of thousands of my people. To ring new hope to the next generation. It is too much, but I am all there is. I must protect my People in their entirety. Many die even now, while I am searching for a solution.”

He was beginning to realize that he wasn’t truly a warrior. He could fight when there was need as all of his people did. He was going to have to be something much more than a warrior to survive. He lacked the knowledge necessary, but he could study and learn the secrets of the Runes. He was changing as more of his quest unfolded before him. Knowledge was the key and it was something he had to develop if he was to succeed. He had to travel along the path of a Rune priest. Or a slight deviation as battle priest. He lacked a mentor and the collective, but he felt in his heart that he needed to make this transition if he was to find what his people so desperately needed.

He stood after the talking was finished and made his way back to his room. His heart and soul were heavy as he lie down on the floor with a pillow and went to sleep. He wasn’t really taking the doctor’s orders; he just needed time to come to terms with what he had finally worked through in his own mind. His emotions were obvious to any who had seen him. He was too honest and open as it was. He just had no idea how he was going to manage without more help. He wasn’t sure Shea would stay with him and he must eventually leave this moving city. He could only make decisions for himself. He had to wait and see what happened before he could plan more effectively.