Walkabout (Scatha & Barrett) - Samheen 25th MT

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha was roused from a pleasant dream of fields and farmhouses (oddly enough, populated by farmhands that looked just like her prince), sat up, and winced as her legs and bottom reminded her not to leave it so long before she rode a horse again. "Coming," she called to Maigin, then threw aside the sheets and pulled on her crumpled and slighty grubby clothes. There wasn't a mirror, so she tied her hair up into a ponytail, adjusted her wide brimmed hat at a rakish angle, and then saunted out to find their guide.

[Barrett]

The knock roused Barrett from his meditation in time to hear Maigin's instructions. It took a few burns to rouse his body to match the alert state of his mind. He still had not mastered the art of avoiding stiff limbs after extended meditation. Some Hileuwroth exercises soon had him somewhat flexible and ready for the morning's excitement. Adjusting his desert garb, he made his way to the common room, expecting that Maigin and Scatha would already be there.

Today was a crucial day for the priest: for his personal goal of exploring the local wildlife as well as possibly his last chance to pin down some definite information about the possible poisoner.

"Good Morningtide, friends."

[Brytan]

The common room was empty save for Maigin and the hostess of the tavern who were discussing something in hushed whisper. She seemed upset and they were talking rather swiftly in a language unknown to both Barrett and Scatha. As they entered he handed her a small coin purse and she made off towards the kitchen. Breakfast had already been set out on the table for two, breads, ale and even some fruit were present.

Maigin sat down on a chair he pulled up to the set table, turning it around so he could lean forward onto the back of the chair.

"My apologies, Mentha, the tavernkeeper, is slightly upset. I have settled everything with her already so there is no need to worry, it does not concern you." Behind the door to the kitchen some sound could be heard, food was being prepared for the morning crowd. "Please, sit, eat. We have a few marks walk ahead of us and we must try to do most of it before the sun comes up too high. Less chance of us missing the nesting Thufu."

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha was puzzled; the woman who had been so friendly the previous evening now seemed disturbed by something... or someone. "What do you think the matter is?" Scatha asked Barrett, nodded at the woman as she departed. "It's like the children yesterday, when I gave them the ball." She pondered on this for a minute, then sniffed cautiously at her armpits; "Nope. Not that." Her eyes narrowed as she considered Barrett; "You've not been... indiscreet with her, have you?" Indiscreet was a good word, one of the best she knew, and she'd learnt it from her aunts when they'd been talking about Tom Hogg from Middlewich, and how he'd been caught being indiscreet with a sheep. A sudden dreadful thought crossed her mind; "You haven't been near the goats, have you? It's no wonder she's upset, if you have..."

[Barrett]

The fact that their guide and the tavern keeper chose to converse in a different language alarmed Barrett somewhat. He had heard some phrases earlier but could not identify the tongue. Nevertheless, he focused his full concentration on memorizing the words or rather the sounds of the words as well as he could. Perhaps he could look it up later...

“Indiscreet?”

The scholar laughed. He had no choice. Despair was not a useful option.

“Scatha, you amuse me. I do applaud your effort to expand your vocabulary, but perhaps you should be certain what the word means before you just wave it about like a cheap festival banner. Indiscreet would better describe your own attempt to attract the eyes of every common worker in the palace courtyard to your nude body yesterday morn. Or blurting out the details of stories that we are not supposed to know about. Or storming off to the tavern because you are bored rather than staying in the presence of the person whom you are supposed to be protecting. And I don’t know, nor do I care to know, what bizarre customs you uncivilized Midlanders have that would involve relations with goats - although I daresay such might explain quite a lot about your personal conduct.”

“Maigin. I am afraid I disagree with you on one point: Everything concerns me. We are, technically, diplomats and any friction or disturbance we cause or experience might have serious ramifications. If you know of some trouble here at the tavern, or in this village, then it would be wise for you to share it with us. What exactly has upset Mentha?”

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha tried to resist the temptation to stick her tongue out at Barret, failed abysmally, and included a wet rasping noise for good measure. "If we're talking about indiscreet shall I mention certain people who walk in without knocking? And as for protecting you - I can't protect you from your own bad taste in tacky ornaments, can I? You didn't even think about whether the Duke or the Duchess might want a donkey rather than a stupid basket. Besides, you didn't need protecting - you're still here, aren't you? After all, what was the merchant likely to do - attack you with some rushes? And anyhow, I'm not your bodyguard - I stopped being that after the last time you were rude to me, remember?" She picked up a grape, tossed it lightly in the air, caught it in her mouth, and swallowed before continuing.

"And as for uncivilised, at least in the Midlands we are civil enough to have some manners. Anyhow, you won't have to put up with me too much longer. You and Maigin can go see your birds on your own - I'll spend the day here instead. And once we're back in the Citadel, you'll be rid of me forever, because I am going to buy a farm and become the greatest whip mistress in the Seven Isles. Then you can use all the big words you like, because I won't be around to hear them." She took a swig of ale, tore off a chunk of bread, and chewed on it defiantly. "So you can go enjoy plucking feathers, or whatever it is you want to do with these birds," she continued, spitting crumbs as she did so. "I shall be practising with my new whip." Scatha took one last swig of ale, grabbed an apple and another chunk of bread, then stood up. "Try not to leave him out there, Maigin," she said with a wink. "I would, if I were you." With that, Scatha sauntered off to find a secluded place in which to test her new whip...

[Barrett]

Barrett had had enough. Clearly the woman was not fit for the position that Erwin wished her to fill. She was incapable of focus, or tact, and completely infuriating. Not to mention that she was unwilling to open herself up to learning. It would be pure chaos, the utter opposite of what was needed in a leader. And despite the fact that the Furst might intend to use her as a distraction while his own plan played out, having an idiot as Caesari was simply too dangerous. He decided to share that evaluation with the Duke just as soon as they returned to Citadel. Therefore, her development and participation in his investigation were no longer the Querist's concern. If she wanted to stay behind here and make even more of an unpleasant spectacle of herself... perhaps he should let her.

"Fine."

"Maigin, it appears there will be one less on today's journey. However, if we are to leave the... Scatha here, I do need to know what sort of problems have upset Mentha and the others. Unpleasant though she may be, I would not have her come to any harm."

[Brytan]

Maigin listened to Barrett and Scatha go at it for a few moments and waited until they had come to their conclusions. He seemed calm and focussed and didn't let Scatha's or Barrett's comments distract him from the task he was set out to do.

"If you insist." He replied to Barrett's question. "I have spent some time communing with a few of the locals, to get a lay of the land before we set out. I told them we were out to find Thufu and several people started to raise questions concerning your intentions." He paused for a moment, as if he was looking for the words to formulate his next sentence. "You asked me to find out about the stranger that came through before. That is what concerned them most. A local guide took him out. A guide by the name of Telugin, who was not only one of the best guides out here, but also an elder of the village." He bowed his head. "He was found dead on the edge of the swamp days later. Along with a number of Thufu. They were shred up like by a wild animal."

These words seemed to affect Maigin more than he may have liked, but he got himself together again and continued. "The people spoke of the man you seek having "Garthas eyes", the eyes of a desert wolf. They say his name was Talen and that he stayed in this inn, which is what I was asking Mentha about."

He looked as the curtain which seperated the kitchen from the common room rustled and Mentha came out again to serve a few others who had come down from their rooms for breakfast. "There is no danger if you wish to stay here." he said to Scatha. "But you must understand that what I tell you now has struck a deep nerve in this small community and we remind them of it."

He got up. "I will see to our horses, make sure they are fed for when we return. I will meet you outside when you are ready to leave, both of you or one of you."

[Barrett]

Barrett listened to Maigin's tale with a growing sense of dread. His wide eyes stood out starkly against a face gone suddenly pale (despite the recent exposure). There was a sickening feeling in the pit of his stomach.

"Maigin. I- I don't know what to say. That's terrible. But you should have told us. I would have tread much more carefully."

He stood, paralyzed by the cruel picture as their guide went outside to prepare.

Did they suspect us to be more of the same? Or did he fear we, as foreigners, would be indifferent? Did they blame the gods' wrath? Or did they suspect more human cause, as Barrett did?

The priest looked for Scatha's reaction to the story before approaching her, the prior bickering now gone from his mind completely.

"These poor people."

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha pursed her lips as she heard Maigin's tale; "That's dreadful... I understand now why the villagers acted as they did." She gave an involuntary shiver at the thought of the shredded body, despite the warmth of the day.

"It seems odd that they should find both the man and the birds torn apart," she said thoughtfully. "If it had been a fierce creature that attacked them, you would have though that the birds would have taken flight... unless they had captured the birds, in a net or something, and then whatever attacked them could take both men and the birds. Perhaps whatever attacked them dragged the other man away, perhaps into the water. It is hard to say, without seeing the place and the bodies yourself." She scuffed her shoe idly against a stone, still thinking. "In the Midlands, we have legends of people like the man you describe," she mused out loud. "Men that look like you or I, but which have the nature of savage wolves, and which can change their shape to those of an animal. I used to think that they were stories to frighten children, but I have seen many strange things in this world - enough to know not to discount the idea. It is odd that the people here should remember that one thing about the man, that he had the eyes of a wolf, and then find the man gone and a body savaged by a wild animal."

She glanced up at Barrett; "Wolves have an undeserved reputation, y'know. They are shy creatures, preferring to avoid men. It is true that they will take the young and the sick from a herd, but it is rare that they will attack a man, especially a healthy man like your guide. Of course, there are wargs..." She turned to Maigin; "Are there such things on the island? Wargs, I mean, or big cats, or any creature that might have the strength to take a grown man...?"

[Barrett]

So she is up for the trip after all. Good.

Barrett's own studies left him quite capable of answering Scatha's question. He only hoped she wouldn't be annoyed that he did so.

"Plenty of creatures that could take down a man, under the right circumstances. Crocodiles, Sekh`Gato - big cats, the Thothos themselves... but not an experienced guide like this Telugin must have been. The storks are very capable of defending themselves from predators..."

"So, not an animal. Possibly not a natural being at all. And if Talen is the man I seek, then we know he made it back to his contact. So either he had allies, or he is a shapeshifter. Or both."

"Have there been any other attacks like this?"

[Brytan]

The change in atmosphere at the table was something that could be almost touched. From petty rivalry and anger the mood had shifted to dread and from there to curious interest. Maigin had gotten up to tend to the horses as he had said, but the questions he was now presented with made him linger for a while longer. He was after all their guide and obliged to answer them.

"Indeed, you are right. Many creatures in the marshes and the desert are well capable of taking down a man if threatened. I see you have prepared well for this expedition." He nodded in appreciation to Barrett. "As for the tales of shapeshifters, I wouldn't personally go as far as to attribute the attack to fairytale creatures. We have similar tales here aswell to scare the children from staying out too long after dark, but there are far more dangerous things on the sands to concern them."

He straightened his travelpack on his back and did a quick check of his gear. While he was talking he was performing a lot of actions with his hands, which came across as total routine to the weathered guide. From closing clasps on his pack to the tightening of straps to windproof his desert garb and the straigthening of his turban. He never once glanced to his hands but kept focussed on the discussion at the table.

"It has happened before that men and women were attacked by the river or on the sands, and I am certain it will happen again. The unprepared and unwary fall to easy prey of the creatures of the wild. But something like that...no, I don't think anything I have seen and heard of compares to the death of Telugin."

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha pursed her lips; "In that case, I'd better come with you. If I didn't, you'd only end up getting torn to shreds by werewolves. Or lost. Or both. Besides, the walk will do me good - by backside still aches from riding yesterday." With that, Scatha sauntered off to fetch her knife pouch, her waterskin, and her wide brimmed hat, which perched on her head at a rakish angle, eventually returning to meet up with Maigin and Barrett. "Right then. Where's this werewolf then? We are walking there, aren't we?"

[Barrett]

Barrett’s eyes caught Maigin’s adjustments and his mind was quick to calculate the advantages they would afford.

Ah. That makes the fabric a much more practical choice. I’d have gotten much less dust on the inside... and the turban... a little more attention to it initially will keep me from having to make constant adjustments later...

While copying the guide’s preparations, the scholar urged Scatha to take a brief meal with him before setting out.

“Best to have eaten instead of stopping for hunger later. We walk on our own legs today.”

Contrary to the rumors that persisted, Aurelians did eat. But they were extremely selective about when, where, what, and in whose company they ate. And it was almost never a priority. This was a rare exception made necessary by the fact that field work made rather heavier demands upon the body than pure research. Still, Scatha’s Aunts would likely have clucked disapprovingly at the way in which he merely picked at his food.

Rejoining Maigin, Barrett could not help but ask more questions.

“So. Do we head to this same area today? Were other guides able to determine what happened from tracks or clues?”

[Brytan]

As both Barrett and Scatha had prepared and eaten they met up with Maigin in front of the tavern as agreed, and after he had made a few minor adjustments to their clothing and filled an extra waterskin at the well of the small town they went on their way.

The town was barely awake and there were no people on the road as they left the small village behind them and set out into the wild. They followed the road for a little while longer until Maigin decided they had to turn off and continue through some minor undergrowth to get to their destination. While they walked Maigin responded patiently to the other questions the two fired at him.

"We will be heading over there." Maigin pointed in the distance to a few large trees that seemed to have wurmed their way up from the ground and were by far the highest pieces of plantlife in the area. "Those trees are called Wahk'mar and are the most common nesting ground for the Thufu. They are probably not there now, but it is the best place to start."
They walked through the undergrowth and sand which seemed to be getting soggier as they progressed.
"We will need to cross a few small branches of the river which constitute the main flow of water to the marshes. After we do so we will be in about the same area as where they found the bodies. The marshes extend for a few marks worth before we will be at the Wahk'mar trees."

It was not long before they did indeed encounter a few shallow streams which sped their way into pools and puddles and further into the distance. The walking was more difficult here as the ground sucked at their feet with each step and Maigin had to stop every once in a while to check for a proper foothold or dry land to stand on. "As you can see, tracks don't linger very long in this soil." He pointed behind them where already their own footsteps were filling with water and mud. "So there weren't a lot of tracks recovered that could have told us more about the attack. It didn't help either that Telugin was by far the best guide in the area and that he was the one found dead. Had he been any deeper into the marshes I doubt he would have ever been found."

[Barrett]

"Tracks don't linger long... indeed the soil itself doesn't linger long. Some of these patches of "land" are afloat... Should we be worried about the crocodiles here? Are there signs to watch for or particular things that draw them? And are there serpents specific to marshes in addition to those of the desert?"

Barrett continued to question the guide, albeit in low volume, on the serpents and plants and other dangers of the terrain.

"Are there plants here good to eat, or good to use as refuge if we encounter dangerous animals?"

These were details that had been sorely lacking in the archival texts. After all those accounts, while scientific enough, had been written mainly for the researchers to secure funding for further travel. A certain amount of romanticism and mystery had been included in order to capture the imaginations of wealthy nobles looking for a cause. Except, of course, for the "Erotic" text that had mostly included questionable tidbits about aphrodisiacs and mating habits. Barrett had pared away the useless or questionable descriptions to gain a basis of Amun Rah knowledge, but gaining firsthand experience and having Maigin as a source allowed him to improve his understanding and knowledge base by leaps and bounds.

Indeed, his enthusiasm caused him to misstep once or twice, relying upon Scatha’s presence for support.

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha spent most of the journey enjoying the sensation of walking, especially after the previous days riding, and taking her surroundings. Everything about Amun Rah was different - the soil, the air, the plant life, the insects - everything. The walk itself was an education for her, and if it hadn't been for Maigin she would quite have happily meandered along, stopping to look at each new flower, or peculiar beetle. As it was, she took the time to note the position of the sun in the sky, and to work out roughly in what direction they were travelling.

The marshlands themselves were interesting; it made a refreshing change to encounter an area with some degree of moistness, and Scatha happily made her way through the undergrowth, heedless of the mud spattering up her new trouser legs. Her thoughts from the previous night still occupied her, and eventually she ventured a question.

"Barrett," she asked as nonchelantly, "you're very clever. You're probably the cleverest person I know. In fact you probably know everything about everything. How do you go about buying a farm?"

[Brytan]

As they walked, Maigin made sure Scatha didn't stray too far off the beaten path, again emphasising the dangers of the marshes. He answered Barrett's questions as best he could, pointing out edable plants and roots and teaching him a little bit about the local fauna and ways to handle them should they encounter any of the local inhabitants.

"Serpents and crocodiles abound mostly in the deeper parts of the river and some of the pools here. Some smaller species like the shallow waters and we might encounter some of those, but I doubt we will see anything larger than a green Tra'nir."

The walk was pleasant enough, considering their surroundings, in the early morning sun, which wasn't too hot and only now started to show itself. Beaming the first rays of scorching desert sunlight over the horizon. Providing the party with an enchanting sunrise over the shallow waters of the marshland.

[Barrett]

Barrett was an attentive and enterprising student. He took small samples of some of the plants, so that he might better recall and record them later. The mental inventory took his attention away - if only for a while -from the pressures of his mission's importance.

"Barrett," she asked as nonchalantly, "you're very clever. You're probably the cleverest person I know. In fact you probably know everything about everything. How do you go about buying a farm?"

Hmph. If only she really believed it.

"A farm? Well, there are a few different paths you might choose. The most obvious is to find someone who has a farm that they want to sell. Another option would be to find some land that has not yet been cultivated and develop it yourself. Of course, before setting out, you'll first want to decide what kind of farm you wish to run and where you want to live. It does require that you settle down, which doesn't seem to be the kind of person you are just yet."

He let a questioning tone slip into that last statement, wondering where this conversation was headed.

[wyrdgirluk]

"Oh, appearances can be deceiving," Scatha said cheerfully. "Look at Daisy Applebottom - everyone thinks she's a sweet, lovely girl, but I know for a fact that she's just a trollop who goes round the back of the cow sheds with the judges, so that she can be Midsummer Queen." Trollop was a good word that Scatha had learnt from her aunts, and although she wasn't quite sure what it meant, she was very sure that it wasn't a good thing to be. "I was sure you'd know about farms, and I can see that I was right. About the land, though... how do you actually get it, so you can say its yours, and no-one elses? Let's say that I got a piece of land, and Daisy Applebottom came along and said it was hers. How would I prove it was mine?" In truth, if Daisy Applebottom had said anything belonging to Scatha was hers, Scatha would have happily pushed her face first until the nearest pigsty until she said differently, but she was quite sure that Barrett would know a less physical way of dealing with such matters...

[Barrett]

"That would be complicated. It depends upon where you want your farm to be. In Dort, there is a company that helps people develop new businesses that can advise about such things. Generally, to prove ownership, you want a document from the governing body. In some places, the farmers own the land, in others the farmers simply occupy the land and are allowed to work it by contract with the owner. Or with the lord who has been granted the land to govern... I daresay you should stick with Dort. Your friend the Duke would probably give you some land of your own and then there'd be no problem with proving a legitimate claim. Yes, I would advise talking to Erwin at the earliest opportunity."

In truth, Barrett was quite curious as to what the man's reaction would be to Scatha's desire for a farm when he intended to offer her an empire. The Querist sincerely hoped to be present for the conversation. Yes indeed.

The sunrise and the transformation it worked upon the already exotic landscape was breathtaking. It was the sort of thing he would like to be able to capture on paper. But neither words nor his painting ability were likely up to such a task, so he settled for imprinting it in his memory.

“So, Scatha. Have you any sort of experience at managing anything?”

[wyrdgirluk]

Scatha listened very carefully to Barrett's reply, considering each detail. Although the idea of the Duke giving her land was astonishing, there were far too many downsides - mostly interfering, firebreathing aunts - to even consider it as an option. "No, not Dort. Too many dragons. So... if it wasn't Dort - what would happen then? Are there really places you can just go to, and say, 'this is now my land', and start living there?" That idea appealed to Scatha immensely, and she was keen to hear Barrett's opinions on it. As for his other question.... Scatha pursed her lips, giving it her fullest attention.

"To be honest, you don't have to do much to manage cattle," she mused out loud. "You buy them, they eat and breed and shit. That's the easy bit. As long as there is grass and water, they're fine. But of course, you'd have to brand them, and have fences, or a natural feature to keep them enclosed. The main problem with cattle is rounding them up and taking them to market. I've done that. Hard work, but it only has to be done twice a year. Of course, you'd need horses, and hands to help with that. The rest of the year, you live off the money from the cattle, or from eating them. They give you food and milk and shoes and clothes, if you know what to do. And if you had a farm, you could grow crops at the back." Scatha had never really thought about all of the day to day running of the Ashtir farm in Dort, and now thinking about it made her head hurt. "So you'd need money to buy the land, and a farm, and then the cattle and the horses and the hands." Scatha had a good idea of how much cattle were bought and sold for, in Dort at least, and knew the price of a horse... but the rest of it was unknown territory. "I can't be the only person wanting to do this. There must be someone who would know all those things. Where would I find such a person?"

[Barrett]

"I can think of no place where it would be acceptable to simply show up and claim the land. Not unless you mean to steal it from those who already live there or have ownership. Perhaps you might go to sea and look for an unsettled isle... someplace that has not been claimed by someone else. Or stake out a claim in territory that no one else wants - which probably means someplace not very good for raising cattle or growing crops. Then you'd have to establish a settlement with an eye to some sort of legitimate government. Of course, now you're talking about founding a county or nation rather than just a farm. Perhaps the archives or the trade guild would have knowledge of any available lands to settle. You might consult their records."

"As for a person who would know all those things... You'd find such a person running a farm, most likely. If you plan on selling cows you'd need to take a few more things into consideration. Like where you'd sell them. You'd want to be near a market of some sort, with a means of getting there. You'd also need someone who knew how to care for them. An experienced healer or handler of animals. And someone knowledgeable about breeding, unless you only meant to be in business for one season. And then the leather goods would require someone to cure the leather and someone capable of crafting the desired items... Add to all this the planting and cultivation or crops... there's no end to the knowledge involved in running such a place. That's why most folk who do so are those who have been pretty much raised to it."

"No, my suggestion would be to hire yourself out as a hand at someone else's farm and learn the trade in the traditional manner. Unless you only meant to be an owner or landlord and leave the day-to-day running of the place to the hirelings. But that hardly seems satisfying. It would be your farm but you would hardly be considered a farmer."

"Perhaps you could ask Maigin if this isle holds any opportunities for founding a new business."

[wyrdgirluk]

Barrett had some good answers for her questions... answers that raised even more questions. "I think I know enough about cattle to do the basics... I know what signs of illness to look for, what pastures they like best, what makes good stock. If they needed a healer, then you'd need someone to come and tend to them, but you wouldn't need them all the time, only when they were ill. There is a travelling healer that works the Seven Wiches in Dort, for example. And my father don't do all of the curing of hides - we keep some for ourselves, of course - but most of the stock we drive to town, to be butchered and tanned there by whoevers buys them. Whilst we're in town we buy good and have the horses tended to and..."

Scatha suddenly stopped dead in her tracks. "That's it," she said excitedly. "You are clever, Barrett. If I am to sell the cattle, I need somewhere to sell them. Not an established town, because the market for cattle would already be established. But a new settlement - they will need meat, and hides. And you would find tanners and blacksmiths there, all setting up for business. And labour. That's it Barrett, don't you see? The Duke or the King or whoever must establish new settlements, to get bigger kingdoms and more money. If I could find one of them, and start there, there I would have my town and my market and all the people I would need to help start the farm." Scatha was sure that she'd heard her brother discussing families who were leaving Dort to setup their own farmsteads. "You are clever," she grinned, giving the tall Dortman a hug. "It would work, don't you think?"

[Brytan]

"Sssst! Down!"

Maigin had stopped aswell as Scatha and Barrett were pondering her career options. He dropped to his knees in the soggy soil, hiding in the tall reeds and grasses that were abundant in this area. He had lowered his voice to a whisper as he directed their attention to an area just ahead of them. "Over there."

They had come upon a pool of clear water, flowing directly from one of the branches of the great river. The pool had formed on account of several large rocks strewn across a dry patch of land that used to be here at one time. The rocks formed a natural wall against the water, which trickled through slowly to the other end, but holding enough to make the pool at least several feet deep.

Deep enough for a Thufu bird to drink from.

Before them at the far edge of the pool, Scatha and Barrett witnessed a majestic bright red bird, standing on high legs, with a long neck and curved beak, drinking water and grooming itself in the early morning sun. It seemed to be alone at first, but soon another bird joined it, landing nearby, showing off it's wingspan which must measure at least two meters, Barrett estimated, before joining it's mate by the pool.
"A young pair, you can tell the male specimen is quite a bit larger than the female. We must make sure not to startle them, or they will warn their flock and flee. The rest of them must be close, we should tread carefully from here on.