Re: Saltmarsh (Time of Flowers 1)

by **Kara Winters** Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:14 pm

In a small clearing there was a large oak tree that had a wooden mask if an old man with oak leaves for hair tied to it with reed rope. Under the shade of said oak tree was a small hut and near that an open fire. Sitting by the fire was a bullfrog and a halfling man with wild looking auburn hair. He was strumming a lyre, but was focused more on the trees and sky than on his fingers.

by **Nara-pyon** Mon Dec 07, 2020 10:56 pm

Ana was intrigued by the scene they came across. The man looked quite at ease, and to Ana it seemed as though he was enjoying himself. The air. The trees. The sky. In fact, the more she looked at him, the more she envied him.

Caelynn was by far the more social of the two, and since the gentleman was obviously not asleep or trying to go to sleep, she thought they might as well say hello.

"Good evening," she called out softly, hoping not to startle the man. "Please pardon our intrusion. We were resting nearby and heard your beautiful music."

Personally, she thought he reminded her of Ana, the way he was a little spaced out.

by **Kara Winters** Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:04 pm

It took a second but the man pulled his gaze away from the sky and gave Caelynn a friendly sort of smile halfings were known for.

"And Good Even to you fae folk," he replied in turn, "What brings you two so far out of your forests?"

The bullfrog croaked as if echoing the man's question.

by **Nara-pyon** Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:31 pm

"Adventuring," Caelynn replied with a warm smile.

"Training," Ana said at the same moment, a little sourly. "Do you live here? You look so happy ..."

There was a wistful tone in her voice, and she smiled at the bullfrog.

by **Kara Winters** Mon Dec 07, 2020 11:43 pm

"Yes, the forest is my home and the shrine is my duty to keep," the man replied as he stopped his playing and held out a hand, "I am Ferrin, the druid of these woods, and this is my companion Lorys."

He motioned to the bullfrog who croaked in return.

"If you're adventuring... training through these woods, why not stop for a bit and enjoy nature's beauty with me, the stars are very lovely tonight."

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:00 am

Ana's eyes lit up, and she stepped forward. "Thank you," she said excitedly. "I would be honoured." She took Ferrin's hand and shook it before taking a seat on the ground next to him.

Caelynn's eye twitched slightly as she moved slowly forward. "Ana, you need to rest ..."

"Bah," Ana grinned. "I'll be fine. Come on, it's been forever since we've been in a forest, and I never get to spend time with people who love nature! And really - I've never met a druid before!"

Caelynn had to admit, she had never seen her sister so excited before. Ever.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:03 am

"No?" Ferrin asked with a raised brow, "As nature not called to any of your elven kin to be their protector? Or perhaps I assumed too much? You're city elves and not forest ones?"

He looked between the two, as if assessing if he had gotten it wrong.

"Neverwinter is a bit farther north from here, at least a month's journey, perhaps from there?"

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:10 am

"The Greenwood," Ana said before Caelynn could stop her. "But as much as we are a people of the woods, of nature, we are restricted from the use of magic."

"It is both need and tradition that require our people to defend ourselves with weapons," Caelynn put in, clearly lecturing Ana while informing Ferrin. "Not unreliable magicks."

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:19 am

"Oh? I've never met fae descendants who deny themselves their magic before," Ferrin stroked his beard thoughtfully, "Well, you learn something everyday!"

He looked between the sisters curiously, and he oddly didn't seem that insulted by that Caelynn had said, but perhaps he was too confused by her answer to be insulted.

"I'm curious though," he added, "Does this restriction also mean you cannot learn about magic?"

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:25 am

Ana shook her head. "Our parents promised that if I went on this journey and trained in fighting, then I could study as much as I wished."

"Upon your return, and between shifts," Caelynn pointed out. She was starting to feel a little alarmed.

Ana bit her lip to keep from huffing - something she knew was childish, and a bad habit of hers when the two of them bickered. "I'm here, and I will be training. I don't see why I can't learn something I actually want to learn about while we are somewhere there's someone who can teach me."

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:32 am

The little man looked between the two and carefully set down his lyre. There was a silence and consideration in his look. He then reached into his bag and got a wooden pipe that was carved to look like a personified wind was blowing and began to stuff it with some herbs. He spoke casually, not looking at Caelynn.

"I did not mean to alarm, I was just concerned about the well being of you both," Ferrin explained as he made motions with his fingers and flicked his pipe and with a word in halfling the pipe was lit, "What I meant... do you learn how magic works, how it exists and how it is used. Just because you do not magic, does not mean the world is going to follow the same rules."

He put his pipe between his lips and took a puff as he finally glanced over at Caelynn.

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 08, 2020 12:36 am

Caelynn blinked. She had never thought of it that way before. Despite herself, she found herself curious, and she slowly sat next to Ana on the ground.

"Well ... no," she admitted. "I mean, we know others use magic, and that's fine ... but magic has not been a part of our people in ... longer than I know. I don't know if any of our people know about magic. We certainly don't. Just that it is unreliable."

Ana heard the curiosity in her sister's tone, and she smiled triumphantly to herself. She didn't want to spoil the moment, though, so she kept silent and simply turned to Ferrin, hoping that he would continue to explain.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 08, 2020 9:20 am

Taking a puff of smoke, Ferrin blew out above their heads and the smoke curled into form of humanoid beings and less humanoid creatures that the girls had probably never seen.

"You must understand, magic is everywhere, and in most races, even if you are not actively using magic. Such as an elven resistance against charm magic, or a halfling's luck," he smiled wryly as he said the last bit.

The smoke began to lose it's shape and just linger in the air before dissipating.

"And it's all around us, settled upon us like an unseen veil that academic magic users call the Weave."

He took another puff again and this time the smoke he blew out had shapes of people meditating, studying, praying or traveling.

"How we access the Weave depends on the person. Some, it is a divine gift of the gods, for others, they study their whole lives, and for a few, magic is so much in their blood that they know instinctively how to use it, and for those like me, it is through the connection of nature. Whether this is communing with an aspect of nature, following the will of the Old Faith, or connecting with nature spirits."

by **Nara-pyon** Tue Dec 08, 2020 11:15 pm

"I knew druids had a way to do more with nature than just enjoy it!" Ana exclaimed. "What do you mean, communing with aspects? What is the Old Faith? What nature spirits?"

The questions tumbled out of her mouth almost as quickly as they entered her head. She was so animated that Caelynn didn't have the heart to stop her. And if she was being completely honest with herself, she was the slightest bit curious herself.

by **Kara Winters** Tue Dec 08, 2020 11:32 pm

Ferrin laughed a bit at the eagerness, "Curious are you? Old Faith refers to old deities and nature spirits who represent a specific part of nature, like decay and growth, or the seasons, harvest, the wilds and so forth. Like Obad-Hai."

He motioned to the oak tree with the old man mask tied to it.

"He represents balance in nature, you not only respect the beauty of nature, but also the ugliness of it, where nature can become harsh and terrible. You need both, you can't ignore it a part of nature because it caused you harm, because you'll miss the good in it as well."

There was a pause for a bit before he continued.

"As for the aspects, all druids focus on a specific aspect of nature in which they draw their power, or determine their path in life. These are known as the drudic circles. Most, are part of the Circle of Land, as most druid orders tend to be passed down through an oral tradition and rites. Others though like to follow the path of the Wilds, especially far outside of towns, cities and villages. Others find themselves interested in how decay is still life in nature, and some," he pointed to the sky, "Find themselves using the stars to guide their way."

by **Nara-pyon** Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:25 pm

Ana listened raptly, the firelight flickering in her eyes.

"I would never have thought that it would be possible to draw on something as far away as the stars," she murmured. "How does one go about that? Do you have to be chosen? Is there some ... rite of passage?"

by **Kara Winters** Wed Dec 09, 2020 11:42 pm

"Much simpler and at the same time, much harder," Ferrin replied, "Simpler because it doesn't require an academic study, but harder because being a druid asks you to be in tune with nature, including the magic within yourself."

He made a motion as if he would have poked Ana with his pipe, but she was too far away for that and his arms too short.

"Elves do have an easier time of it. Druids in training spend time meditating to align themselves and their magic with the aspect of nature that draws them the most. What you want out of that meditation is for nature and that particular aspect to answer you back, because in there is the knowledge of how to use the Weave."

by **Nara-pyon** Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:10 am

"How do you know when it answers-" Ana began to ask, but she was interrupted by her sister.

"Speaking of meditation," Caelynn interjected, pushing herself to her feet. "Ana, you need to rest. We have to meet the others at sunrise."

Disappointment flooded the younger sister's face. She looked at Caelynn sorrowfully. "I'll be fine," she protested again. "Really! Please?"

by **Kara Winters** Thu Dec 10, 2020 12:16 am

"You should listen," the halfling agreed taking another puff of his pipe, "I'll still be here, in this forest, and nature will still be here too, as long as you keep listening..."

He looked at Ana, smiled a bit and added.

"Perhaps when you're not busy adventuring you can come back and help an old man find some mistletoe," he told her.

by **Nara-pyon** Fri Dec 11, 2020 7:55 pm

Ana looked back at the halfling man and smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you," she said, her tone warm and sincere. "I would be honored to do so. Take care, all right?"

She pushed herself to her feet and left the clearing, and as she left she glanced once more at the stars overhead, until the forest foliage blocked them from her sight.

The girls made their way back to where they had stopped earlier, and this time Caelynn took a turn watching while Ana rested in meditation.

by **Kara Winters** Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:39 pm

Nakos was up before sunrise (only because he had to break his fast and be prepared for the girls to arrive). He purposely went to take his breakfast in the dining room of the inn instead of in his room like he had previously when staying here.

Unsurprisingly the meal consisted of bread and cured fish (considering this was a coastal town). He glanced at the window, there was still time he figured for at least a somewhat leisurely breakfast before having to head out.

by **Nara-pyon** Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:47 pm

Sai also woke early from habit and after packing up his things he went downstairs to turn over the key for his room and grab a quick bite before heading out with the group. He spotted Nakos in the dining room and made his way over to him, to join him for breakfast.

"Morning," he greeted the man with a smile. "Care for some company for your meal?"

by **Kara Winters** Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:50 pm

"Certainly!" Nakos motioned for Sai to sit, "It's always nice to have company, nicer even still to find someone with a similar skill set that I am not related to."

There was a good nature huff when he said this, so clearly the man had family somewhere, who apparently knew Thieves' Cant for some reason.

by **Nara-pyon** Fri Dec 11, 2020 9:54 pm

Sai chuckled as he took a seat.

"To be honest, it's good to converse with a fresh face," he grinned as he set his bag on the floor. "Its not like there's much variety of conversation at sea."

by **Kara Winters** Fri Dec 11, 2020 10:02 pm

"I'd imagine not, granted it's been a while since I've traveled by sea," Nakos admitted, "And not very far, Waterdeep has been the farthest I've gone by ship."

With ease, Nakos waved down a server for Sai so he could get some breakfast. He knew how busy it could get around here in the morning. The sun wasn't even up but guards were in coming off from the night shift and dwarven miners were getting ready to go out to the mines. Not much in the way of fishermen, which suggested this was not their preferred place to eat.

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