Archer and Mage
Solo Special: Choosing Imprinted Weapons
Peralian sat in front of his father n the hastar as they traveled through the dawn mists towards the Wild Tribes last known camp. He was rather excited, a three-day trip out with his da! Pity Tarlen hadn’t been able to come.. or Ma… but it was still fun! And maybe he could pick up more tips from Da….
Fidgeting about, he kept looking around, watching the shadows in the mist consolidate into rocks and plants then fade back into obscurity. It was quiet out, only a few chirps of insects and the far of call of some bird, all muffle by the mist. With the sun just barely over the horizon, only the tops of the mist glowed gold, the rest lay in darkness still.
“Hey Da…” He whispered, only to get motioned to silence.
“Be quiet for now, let’s not wake the dragon.” He pointed upwards to a large shape curled about a spire above them. Peralian started a little, having not noticed it at all, thinking it part of the landscape. Then he frowned and pointed at his father’s bow. Why did his Da not take the easy shot and kill it? Kirosh grinned and flipped a hand negligently. No need!
Peralian sat back, Da didn’t care about killing them? Odd… Dragon kills was how you proved yourself! Did Da just not care about proving how strong he was?
A while later Kirosh poked his contemplating son in the back
; “You had something to say?” Now that they were far enough away from home, it was late in the morning which meant that the dangerous nocturnal predators were asleep, and that he wassensing his son’s boredom, Kirosh figured they could speak.
“Mm.” Peral thought for a moment, he’d lost the question he’d meant to ask but had more now.
“Why’d you not kill the dragon?”“No need.”“Why?” Peralian turned and looked up at him, demanding an answer. Kirosh sighed and ran a hand though his hair, it was laying down today and not up in its usual mohawk.
“I’m strong. I know it so why should I kill something I don’t need too to prove it? You can’t eat a dragon, I’ve got a lot of orbs already, it wasn’t close to the house so not dangerous…. So, like I said, no need.”“…Won’t you get called a coward if people see you sneak by and not kill a dragon?” It was important to appear strong to Peralian, the Wild Tribe dropped by and stayed near his home a lot, so he got exposed to quite a few of their attitudes.
Kirosh laughed.
“Who cares what they think!”“But…” Peralian paused and tried to think.
“
Look Peralian, why should I or you care what others think? So long as those that matter to us know, why should a stranger’s thought matter?” “Well.. put that way… guess it makes sense. But how do you get strangers to respect you then?”Kirosh chuckled, it appeared that Peralian was very concerned with how other’s saw him! “
Well, if they don’t respect you, you ignore them or beat them up. Waving around orbs just shows thieves where to strike to steal your stuff. And like as not, someone will say you stole the orbs or bought them… Unless they see you in action, no one’s gong to really respect you. So ignore their opinions and just live your life.”Peralain was quiet for a few hours, thinking on this new information. It wasn’t until they stopped for lunch that he spoke up;
“Hey Da, don’t you get into trouble for beating people up?”“Only in the city! And only if you get caught. So don’t get caught.”“Gotcha.” Peral was sure mother wouldn’t approve too much about this… but it seemed fine to him! “
What about out here?”“Anyone messes with you out here, you’re free to do what you want. Like as not they’re thieves or someone too lazy to get their own kills and want what you have. So kill them if you can or flee if you can’t. And no,” Kirosh said with a a sly grin;
“your mother would not approve… She’s nicer than I am. But if someone attacks you out here, then they’ll attack others. So.. think of it as cleaning up the trash, making the wild a bit safer!” Peralian giggled. He liked that idea!
The next few days Peralian learned more about hunting, tracking, snares, and how to use a bow and sword. His father taught him the ticks he knew and made him practice in the evenings before bed. Peralian liked the sword; there was something… cool about it. The heavy weapons had a ‘in your face’ swagger that he liked, but he sword? It had a smoother more arrogant elegance… That was really nice. But.. the bow was epic in it’s own way. A sneaky way… and very useful for hunting. You couldn’t really hunt with an axe and kill prey for meals.
He wasn’t sure which he’d choose come time, but definitely a nice elegant sword or a bow.
He was asleep when Kirosh found the trail markers leading to the camp; it was late in the evening and he’d decided to push on and get to the camp since he was certain they were close. Peral didn’t even wake up when Kirosh dismounted and carried his son into a communal tent.
“Hey Kirosh,” Milan, a fellow Oblivionite Archer who was an old friend of Kirosh’s, said softly as he entered. “What’re you doing al the way out here? Kadryn kick you out yet and needs me to go comfort her?”
“Ha! You wish!” Kiosh said with a grin.
“Nah, Peralian here is ready to pick a weapon... though I get the feeling he’ll end up choosing two.” “What?” Milan raised and eyebrow as he pulled out a sleeping roll and blanket for Peral. “Already? Kid’s only what.. 10 years old?”
“Yup. But he’s killed two Ysali… and we get the feeling that he’ll go wandering off and get overconfident… so we want him to have a good weapon, not just the small hunting bow I made for him.” Kirosh looked around.
“Tents rather empty, I never manage to find a communal tent this clear!” Milan chuckled as he followed Kirosh out to help him unpack and settle his Hastar in.
“I know! It’s wonderful, all that space… Most people are out trying to find the Trask. A mage came back yesterday all excited saying he’d found it.”
“What? The trask? No way…. That thing's like a living legend.” Kirosh said as he rubbed down his exhausted Hastar and fed him.
“Wonder if I can sneak away and join them…”“What about Peralian?” Milan asked in an amused voice.
“Eh… we’ll get his weapon chosen tomorrow… and well.” He grinned at Milan
; “since you are here you can look after him!”“What? No! Get one of the others to do that! I’m heading out to go join them tomorrow.”
“Well alright. The chief’s still here though right? Or am I going to have to go digging to find the imprinted weapons?”Milan chuckled. “She’s out there! No way Lira would get left out of something like this! Shaman’s here though, so he can help you.”
“Good.. I want at least one figure of power to give him his weapon,” Kirosh said as he went back inside the tent.
“Make it a bit more special, you know?”~~ ~~ ~~
Peralian woke up the next morning hearing sounds of people outside. Must have made it to the camp last night he thought as he looked around for his father. A loud laugh rang out nearby, that’s Da! Peralian thought as he got up and sleepily walked out of the tent.
“Hey sleepy head,” Kirosh said when he saw his son,
“Ready to choose your weapon?” “Mmmmm.” Peral said as he walked over to lean sleepily against his father’s leg.
“Hungry Da… food first?” Pleading sad puppy dog eyes cast upward for maximum effect!
Milan chuckled, “Boy’s got his priorities right! Food first... then work. There’s some porridge still in the pot, grab what you need!”
Peral gave Milan a smile before heading to grab food. Milan and his brother had stopped by a lot while he was growing up, and Peralian rather liked him.
“
Shaman Yrral will be ready when you're done then.” Kirosh said as he finished cleaning up his dishes.
Peralian gave a nod and finished eating. He wasn’t as excited as he thought he’d be.. he had a feeling that any thoughts before he went in wouldn’t matter… Mother had mentioned something about the weapon resonating with her when she chose. So it would chose him! And frankly, he was certain he’d be good at any of them!
“Ready Da.” He said with a smile.
Milan chuckled at the calm tone. “Not excited?” He asked as he lead Kirosh and Peral to the Shaman’s tent.
“Mm.. I am… but Mother said the weapon would resonate.. so… what happens, happens right?”“Ha! You should have seen him the past few days.” Kirosh said.
“Da!”
“What?”“You didn’t have to mention that….”The Shaman’s tent was larger than the other’s surrounding it, and Yrral was waiting sitting on a blanket with a variety of weapons arrayed in front of him.
“Morning Yrral.” Kirosh said
. “This is one of the twins, Peralian, he’s here to pick up a weapon.. or two.” “You keep mentioning two, Kirosh…” Milan said. Perali turned around and grinned.
“
Cause I’m gonna be a mage and warrior!”“Oh?” Yrral said in a deep husky voice. “
In that case… I will look forward to teaching you.. if you find that your magic is more Kirosh’s than Kadryn’s. But first,” he smiled and beckoned the boy forward. “
Come and see if anything calls to you. Take your time, think on what you want it for… it will call to you.”Peralian bent down and picked them up one by one, hefting them all and seeing how they felt in his hands. The swords were nice... the dual hammer even better! But when picked up the bow, he knew they were not for him. The bow, with it’s dark brown satin stains, end caps carved bone in the shape of claws and waves, felt… right, like it belonged in his hands.
“This one Da! This one feels right!” Kirosh smiled as Peralian held up the bow before scampering over to look at the range of wands and scepters... and one staff which caught his eye. It was two types of wood twinned together with bands of metal and bone carvings twinning about it in a design that made him think of storms. He reached for that first, it was... too perfect! It resonated just like the bow did, completed him.
"This one too." He said, his eyes glowing with happiness, arms full of wood.
Peral had always liked books, liked magic, and had bee ecstatic when he’d found that magic tome in Kadryn’s old stuff. He knew his boy was gong to be a mage.. it was just nice t know that he was also going to be an archer like him!
“Guess now I get to start teaching you more archery and we can drop off some of the other weapon lessons.” Kirosh said. He looked at Yrral.
“We’ll come back for the second one… I know that he’s going to be a mage as well, and if the imprinted weapons do not resonate.. will you still teach him?”“Of course.” Yrral smiled. “
That’s the main reason I left the cities and comforts of my old life… the children out here do not have access to the knowledge held within civilized areas… I can give them that.” He looked at Peralian.
“I shall make a weekly trip when I can to your house to teach you.. or you can stay here for a week out of every month if you wish. We’ll talk more once you’ve talked it over with your family.”
