[center][img]https://img.roleplayerguild.com/prod/users/146572ed-ee3b-477b-a1cb-fbd6adb87448.png[/img] [b][color=96512B][h3]Gerrik Far-Teacher[/h3] Level 9 Hain Hero 30 Khookies[/color][/b][/center] [center][i]circa 12 years Post Realta[/i][/center] Outside Tallgrass, Gerrik and Elword met with a small herd of urtelem, a runic defender and a Sculptor of what might have once been a rovaick among them. They might have come closer to the town, but most people in Tallgrass were not particularly welcoming of Sculptors. Performing negotiations and trade a short distance outside of Tallgrass' borders was an amenable compromise. The Sculptor's presence made Elword slightly uneasy, as it would for most hain. The discomfort was eased by the presence of urtelem, for urtelem always made hain feel safer, and also by Gerrik's calm demeanour. Whether Gerrik was truly unfazed by the Sculptor or whether he was simply very good at hiding his feelings on the matter was impossible to tell. The urtelem matriarch signed with her hands, and the Sculptor chittered a translation with its three mouths. "Your offer?" Gerrik and Elword indicated the bundles they were carrying. "We have decorated blankets, and also oil-based paint." The matriarch took a colourful embroidered blanket to inspect and the Sculptor looked at a clay pot of paint. Gerrik continued, eyeing the wooden cart loaded with rocks which had been dug up by the urtelem. "We will trade them for copper and tin ore." The Sculptor pried off the lid of the pot, dipped a talon into the paint then stuck the talon into one of their mouths and sucked. Another hand dipped into the paint again and smeared a yellow streak onto its skin. Another of its mouths giggled softly. Meanwhile, the matriarch was inspecting the quality of the fabric, its weight and capacity to give warmth, as well as scrutinising its pattern. She held up the blanket for an urtelem beside her to inspect. Finally, the matriarch made a stony grunt to wake the Sculptor from its finger painting reverie and signed. The Sculptor said, "She'll take those blankets for 14- uh-" the Sculptor gestured as though it were holding a ball. The mathematical urtelem were well-versed in the concept of measurement and metrics, although such concepts were yet to properly enter the languages of Mesathalassa. "Er-, 14 lots this big." "What of the paints?" Gerrik questioned, "You wouldn't want to pass up an opportunity to have some nice, durable paints like these." The Sculptor's faces contorted for a moment, and then launched into a silent conversation with the urtelem matriarch. Elword watched the hands twist and dart before leaning over to Gerrik and whispering, "Do you know what they're saying?" Gerrik shook his head. "Only a few words. I think they're arguing about how much to value the paints." Elword watched the conversation a little longer, and dreamed of the possibility of being able to carry out a hand sign conversation himself. To be able to communicate directly and meaningfully with urtelem would surely be a marvellous thing. And they knew things which we didn't, like amounts of things, so learning the language would teach new things too. Then his gaze drifted over to the runic defender, who was watching idly, and he saw the intricate Spiral Script patterned across the urtelem's stone skin. The Spiral Script held a beautiful geometric preciseness and intricate interconnectedness, and although Elword could not understand what it said he knew they were words and could see the power carried by those words. "19 for the blankets and paints," the Sculptor suddenly said. The Sculptor and urtelem had come to an agreement. "20," Gerrik said, his hands signing the number; he had figured out the hand signs for small numbers. '19' the matriarch signed adamantly, followed by some more gestures. "19 is their value," the Sculptor translated. "Alright, agreed," Gerrik said, his hand waving the sign for 'yes'. Gerrik and Elword handed over the blankets and paint pots. The urtelem with the cart filled with ores came forwards and went with the hain back to Tallgrass to deliver the ore. As they left, Elword lingered for a few moments longer to observe the runic defender, then scurried off to catch up. [center][b]~~~~[/b][/center] Elword nocked the arrow, drew the bowstring and loosed the bow. The arrow flew forwards and embedded itself in the cloth-wrapped bundle of hay. Gerrik tapped Elword's back between the shoulder blades with a long, thin stick. "Engage more." Elword nocked, drew and loosed another arrow. Gerrik pushed the stick against Elword's hip. "Twist slightly." Elword nocked, drew and loosed another arrow. Gerrik tapped Elword's left elbow. "Straighten." This scene repeated, with Elword loosing arrows at the target and Gerrik incrementally correcting Elword's technique between shots, until Elword's quiver emptied. "You're getting better," Gerrik said, "Retrieve your arrows and we'll go again." [center][b]~~~~[/b][/center] Elword and Gerrik sat in the craftshain shelter, embroidering cotton sheets with images of looms. Given Lasis' description of the plant and how to use it, it had been relatively straightforwards for Tallgrass to import cotton plants from other regions of Mesathalassa. While they were yet to have their first local harvest of cotton, the imported cotton fibers had been enough to create some textiles. "I've been thinking," Elword said. Gerrik's look indicated for him to continue. "The urtelem can communicate with their written words. You could probably fit a lot more information, in most cases anyway, using words than pictures, if you had some way to put those words into a physical medium. And you could more precisely describe things that aren't static images." Gerrik nodded. "If we had such a thing, it would be useful. However-" "We don't. I know. Such a program would require inventing a written language we could understand, then teaching everyone how to understand it. Conversely, everyone understand pictures. But if we had words it would make things much easier." Gerrik flipped up a palm. "Consider it a long term project, then." [center][b]~~~~[/b][/center] At Gerrik's request, Elword was climbing up the fruit trees to get the fruits growing in the upper branches. While harvesting was important, he had assigned the task mainly to exercise Elword's skill in climbing. Gerrik stood a distance away, observing Elword, when he noticed another hain watching him from outside the farms. He recognised the hain immediately. "Stone Chipper!" Stone Chipper gave a slight tilt of his head signalling for Gerrik to approach. Gerrik walked briskly over to his master. Stone Chipper greeted Gerrik with upturned palms. [color=Peru]"Hello, Gerrik."[/color] There was the clink of porcelain as they briefly embraced in greeting. "What brings you here, Stone Chipper?" Teknall looked over to Elword, clambering up among the branches. [color=Peru]"I've come to talk about Elword."[/color] Gerrik nodded glumly. "And by extension, my succession plan, I assume." [color=Peru]"Right."[/color] Teknall paced a few steps away, and turned his beak to look at Gerrik. [color=Peru]"You were born long ago, before most of the development among the hain, or the rest of Galbar. You predate the Night of Phantoms, and some of the other sentient species on Galbar. You have lived your whole life among tribes of hain, even in your extensive travels. You have never seen a city. Although Tallgrass is advanced compared to everything you know, this little town is merely catching up with civilisations elsewhere in the world. "Furthermore, you have grown weary of travelling. For hundreds of years you had no place to call home, but finally you have found home, found companions, and settled down. Your heart wishes to be Gerrik the husband, the father, the farmer, the craftshain, the village leader, not the nomadic Far-Teacher exploring the world. "And you know this, so you chose for yourself an apprentice to train not just as a Chipper, but in all the ways of Far-Teacher. You have devoted much effort to training Elword as many skills as you can, and teaching him as many things as can be taught. And you chose well. Not only does Elword possess exception intellect, he is deeply innovative and has an insatiable desire for knowledge. Written language! You saw how he was looking at the runic defender. And that's only one example. Born after the Night of Phantoms, Elword thinks differently to you, and it is this kind of thinking which would most benefit Galbar in the present age. "You know all this, and have been making preparations, yet you are hesitant. Reluctant. Why?"[/color] Gerrik knew that Teknall knew. Teknall knew all his thoughts. He was asked the question all the same. Water welled up in Gerrik's eyes and he averted his gaze from Stone Chipper. "I've failed you," he half-sobbed. Teknall stepped forwards and gripped Gerrik's shoulder reassuringly. [color=Peru]"You have not failed me. You have been a great success. Look around you! Agriculture, towns, metalsmithing, trade, education. By your hand you have raised the hain through the Stone Age and into the Bronze Age. Your name is second only to my own among many hain in this world. You have laboured ceaselessly for me for dozens of lifetimes, and everywhere you have gone you have left the world a better place. You have [i]earned[/i] this rest, a chance to settle down and have an ordinary life in this world you have helped create, reaping the fruits of your labour. As the world enters a new era, it is only appropriate for you to pass your mantle on to someone else."[/color] Gerrik lifted a hand up to wipe his eyes. "Thank you, Stone Chipper." He lifted his head and looked to Elword then back to Stone Chipper. "What now? How do I proceed with this?" [color=Peru]"Continue to train Elword. It will be impossible to teach him [i]all[/i] that you know, but that is not necessary. Teach him what is important, and he will learn the rest on his own. Then, not too far into the future, you are to go on one last journey with him, to somewhere you had promised to go 14 years ago."[/color] "Alefpria." [color=Peru]"Indeed. There Elword will succeed you, and begin his mission from that grand city, and you can retire here."[/color] "Sounds like a plan." Gerrik then looked past Teknall towards Elword in the canopy of the fruit orchard. "I'd better head back; Elword's almost finished." [color=Peru]"He's getting faster and stronger, in both body and mind. You've developed a good training regimen for him,"[/color] Teknall commented. Teknall and Gerrik embraced once more in farewell. "Goodbye, Stone Chipper." [color=Peru]"Until we meet again, Gerrik."[/color] [hider=Summary] We start with Gerrik and Elword negotiating trade with a herd of urtelem, buying some metal ore. Elword takes particular interest in urtelem sign language and Spiral Script. Elword is being trained in archery. Elword is probably receiving broader physical training from Gerrik as well. Tallgrass has imported cotton and is starting to cultivate it, at Lasis' recommendation. Lasis' influence has helped develop more sophisticated artworks. (-2 Khookies for textile cultivation) Elword comments that written language would be a useful invention. Teknall talks alone with Gerrik. It is confirmed that Elword is indeed going to be Gerrik's successor. Gerrik is from an old way of life and desires to settle down, while Elword is still enthusiastic and has more modern ways of thought. Gerrik feels like he is failing Teknall by retiring, but Teknall assures him that his rest is well-earned and it is time to pass on his mantle due to the changes in global circumstances. Elword's training will continue, and they will soon set off for Alefpria. [u]Khookie Summary[/u] [i]Start:[/i] 30 Khookies [i]Spent:[/i] 2 Khookies [i]Earned:[/i] 8 Khookies (10,000+ character post) [i]End:[/i] 36 Khookies [/hider]