[center] [h1][color=yellow][b][u]Karamir[/u][/b][/color][/h1] & [h1][color=brown][b][u]Arryn[/u][/b][/color][/h1] [/center] [hr] [color=yellow]”You said we’re almost there?”[/color] Karamir asked as he trudged through the forest. It had been days; the clothes Diana had given him so long ago were once again stained with dirt and grass. Once again, he was back to his days as a wanderer, only without the everlooming discomfort of Diana’s presence. In many ways it was refreshing, yet at the same time, the lack of the familiar discomfort was almost discomforting in its own right. At least Arryn had fashioned him a bone-tipped spear; something he had been without for far too long. Arryn paid no heed to his internal thoughts, and simply nodded. [color=brown]”Yes, it’s not far.”[/color] And sure enough, a strange and unusual building came into view. It was a small mud hut, its walls a little rundown and its thatch roof a little smelly, even at a distance. In addition to escorting them away from Limbo, the Warden had also given them directions. And those directions had led them here, to the home of some of the Dreamers; the descendants of Hermes. Seeing no use in waiting, he continued forward, with spear in hand and Arryn perched atop his shoulder. The little shack seemed rather empty from the outside. In the distance behind it came faint rumbles and grunts, answered by a few shouts and yells. As the pair began to walk past the house, the door curtain gently floated to the side to reveal a hand, and shortly thereafter, its owner - a short, young boy with his arm in a splint. “Hey, da-... Huh?” The child eyed Karamir up and down with a slightly disgusted expression. “What kinda clothes are those? Woah, you’re ugly.” Karamir blinked. Of all the things he had expected to hear, it was not that. But he had been called worse, and so the insults themselves did nothing to phase him. [color=yellow]”They were given to me. Not by choice,”[/color] he answered, before peering off into the distance where he had heard the shouts. The boy hummed monotonously. “Suuuure - bet you just have a really weird style, huh. Want my mom to get you a robe instead?” He then eyed Arryn and suddenly completely switched around, grinning from ear to ear and nearly hopping in excitement. “WOAH! Your bird is awesome! What kind is it?!” [color=brown]”The avatar of Kalmar,”[/color] Arryn answered drily. “Woah, it even talks,” the boy giggled before putting two and two together. “Wait…. Wait, wait, wait…” It looked at the bird with a wry expression. “... Only Elder Chagatai and Elder Wenbo can talk to birds…” He gasped. “Does this mean I can, too?!” Arryn rolled his eyes. [color=brown]”No. I am no mere bird. As I said, I am an avatar. Do you know the name ‘Kalmar’?”[/color] “Oh, sure,” the boy assured. “He’s the god of hunting. Dad, granddad and basically everyone else in my family prays to him at least once a week. I do, too!” He put his hands on his hips proudly. [color=yellow]”And where are they now?”[/color] Karamir asked, still scanning the surrounding forest. “Oh, uh… Think they’re herding the tree-eaters. At least that’s what granddad said they were gonna do today.” He scratched his nose sheepishly. “Mister bird, what does avatar mean? Is it a type of bird?” Arryn shook his head, fighting valiantly to restrain his impatience. [color=brown]”No. An avatar is the representative of a god. I am to Kalmar what Xiaoli is to Shengshi, or Diana to K’nell. I assume you know of them?”[/color] The boy made a frown. “I always thought Mother Xiaoli was Shengshi’s daughter… Huh. What do you know. So, what, want me to kowtow like we do before God, or…?” [color=brown]”There is no need for that,”[/color] Arryn said, wondering what in Kalmar’s name ‘kowtow’ actually meant. [color=yellow]”Do you know where your family is, or when they will be back?”[/color] Karamir interjected. “Oh, they’re just over the hill.” The boy jogged over to the nearby hilltop and pointed down the side of the slope. “There they are!” As Karamir and Arryn followed to the edge, they saw a small lake of gray and black fur, wooly creatures with enormous mouths that could almost swallow trees whole. There, among the massive clumps of hair and teeth, a few alabaster figures walked around with sticks in their hands and knives on their hips. A few of them carried baskets of wool instead, however, and lethargically followed the knife-bearers from beast to beast. The boy thumbed himself proudly on the chest. “When you get down there, tell them Khublai the Great sent you!” Karamir and Arryn exchanged a glance. Karamir had never seen these creatures before, but they did not appear to be an immediate threat, and even if they were, he had an avatar with him. And so, they began to descend the hill. The pair came down into the shallow valley only to meet a young girl with a basket of wool in her arms. She hadn’t noticed them at first and dropped her basket as she did, unleashing a short-lived squeal. Karamir bristled at the sound, coming to a sudden halt. “Wh-wh-who are you - and what are you?” the girl asked in a quivering voice and pointed an even shakier finger at Karamir. [color=yellow]”Karamir of Kalgrun,”[/color] he answered, deciding it was as good an introduction as any, before continuing his descent down to the rest of the Dreamers. The girl blinked at him in a frightened manner. She scurried to pick up the spilled fur, snatched up the basket and ran up the hill behind them. Meanwhile, as Karamir and Arryn approached the actual flock, a few tree-eaters gave them lazy stares as they munched on some splintered logs. A third face came out from between the beasts, followed by a fourth and a fifth. They didn’t immediately notice Karamir, and one of them said, “I thought I heard Badma scream. Where is she?” “Look!” said the fourth one and pointed at Karamir. They all grimaced at the sight and whispered to each other. The middle one, seemingly the oldest, stepped forward an additional step, stuck the butt of his staff in the ground and placed his other fist on his hip. With a stern look, he spoke, “You there, stranger - forgive us, but we haven’t seen you around here before. Did you see a girl around here?” Karamir nodded, maintaining his calm demeanor. [color=yellow]”She ran back up that hill,”[/color] he pointed. [color=yellow]”Toward the hut, I think.”[/color] The two in the back whispered to one another again, followed by muffled snickering - which was quickly met by a glare from Arryn. The speaker nodded slowly. “Alright, that’s all good, then. Now, uh, forgive me for asking, but we’ve never seen one of your.. Uhm… Appearance around here before. Who are you and where are you from?” [color=yellow]”I am Karamir, of Kalgrun,”[/color] Karamir repeated. [color=brown]”And I am Arryn, avatar of Kalmar,”[/color] Arryn added. “Oh, snap - did that bird just talk?” one of the back dreamers went. “Wait, did it say avatar of-...” The two dreamers in the back looked at one another; the dreamer in the front appeared stunned. “The avatar of-... Kalmar…” All three then fell to their knees before the pair. Karamir blinked in surprise. [color=yellow]”What’s all this?”[/color] [color=brown]”It is how some mortals choose to address divine beings,”[/color] Arryn said. [color=brown]”A show of faith, or appreciation.”[/color] The bird shifted its gaze down to the kneeling dreamers. [color=brown]”Rise.”[/color] “O-oh. ‘Course, Your Holiness!” All three of them scrambled to their feet again. The front one spoke, “It’s just so incredible! I mean-... You’re--snap, Your Holiness is the avatar of Kalmar, the Great Hunter! Oh, Mother Xiaoli told us all about Him! He’s helped us out more times than we can count, I tell you!” “Many more times,” the two in the back agreed. [color=brown]”You are hunters, then?”[/color] Arryn questioned. “Guilty as charged - well, hunters and herders, of course. Batu’s the name, eldest son of Temüjin. Behind me are my brothers, Erden and Nugai. There are a few more of us between the tree-eaters, but we’ll get to those eventually.” The three all grinned the cheshire grins of their elder mom. “So, what brings you two to our humble patch of Tendlepog?” [color=yellow]”It is a long story, so I will keep it brief. I was created by Kalmar long ago, and I spent the past five decades travelling with a woman named Diana - the avatar of K’nell. She brought me back to the Palace of Dreams, and I spent some time there before deciding to leave. Arryn found me soon after. We were given directions on where to find civilization, and they led us here.”[/color] Karamir explained matter-of-factly. “Snap, you’re fifty?” Nugai exclaimed and gave Erden a look of disbelief, receiving one in return. Batu snickered. “Dad would be snapping jealous if you told him that, not to mention mom.” The three giggled to one another. “Well, you’ve found, uh… Some semblance of civilisation, I guess. What’re you looking for here? Work? A place to stay? Stories?” “Oh, we got a few of those,” Erden went. [color=yellow]”All three of those will do, I think,”[/color] Karamir answered. [color=yellow]”Right now I have no purpose beyond learning all that I can.”[/color] “Well, that’s as good a purpose as any, innit?” Nugai said with a cackle and dove back into the flock. “I’ll go fetch dad,” he hollered over the groans and grunts of the herd. Erden stepped a little closer to Karamir, running his eyes up and down his stature. “Gotta say, Karamir, you’ve got some muscle. You a fighter?” Karamir shrugged. [color=yellow]”I was, once. But it has been years since I last fought anything.”[/color] [color=brown]”Kalmar blessed you to be a legendary fighter,”[/color] Arryn interjected. [color=brown]”That skill will not fade so easily, and your recent gift has only made you stronger.”[/color] “Snap, a legendary fighter, huh,” Erden thought out loud. Batu nodded with an impressed smile. “Better not tell Borte and Chinua - they are big fans of wrestling. You might get challenged.” “Pfft, you know Chinua would back off as soon as she saw him.” “Yeah, not to slander our sister, but she would,” Batu agreed. “Borte still might show, though.” [color=yellow]”And how good are they?”[/color] Karamir asked. The two brothers looked at one another, then began to tilt their hands up and down. “Eeeeeh… They’re enthusiastic?” “Yeah, that’s a good way of putting it.” “Yeah, yeah.” They nodded at one another. [color=yellow]”I see…”[/color] Karamir said. [color=yellow]”How many of you are there in total?”[/color] Batu let out a sigh through vibrating lips. “Well, Qadan just had her third, so, what, uh… Guess that makes us, uh… Twenty? Twenty-four?” “Twenty-five. Sarnai had her first a few weeks ago, remember?” “Oh, yeah, yeah. Yeah, twenty-five,” Batu confirmed. Karamir’s eyes widened. [color=yellow]”That’s more than double the people I’ve met in my entire life,”[/color] he said. “Man, you think that’s many? You should see Zhongcheng’s family - neither he and Laia nor their kids wasted any time,” Batu said with a snicker. “Like rabbits, that whole clan,” Erden agreed. [color=brown]”Population sizes like this are not unusual,”[/color] Arryn noted. [color=brown]”In my time amongst the Selka, tribes tended to range from twenty to one hundred people.”[/color] Karamir sighed. [color=yellow]”And somehow up until this point I only met… eleven people. Two of which were dreams. No matter, I’ll adapt.”[/color] “Snap, only eleven people? The last fifty years ain’t been kind to you, huh,” Batu condoled. “Well, we oughta see if we can change that. How would you like to have dinner with us tonight? You and His Holiness are both welcome.” Karamir nodded. [color=yellow]”Alright. Thank you.”[/color] A moment later, the herd scattered ever so slightly again and out came Nugai followed by a much older man, two young women, three young girls and another adult male. All seven of them looked at Karamir and Arryn in awe before the elder exclaimed, “Are-... Are you the avatar of Kalmar?!” and pointed a shaking finger at Karamir. Karamir shook his head. [color=brown]”He is not. I am.”[/color] Arryn corrected, somewhat miffed. “Dang it, dad, I told you it was the bird!” The old man mumbled to himself. “Huh, so you did… Anyway, welcome! Welcome to Temüjin’s humble abode! Well, okay, this is the herding grounds, but you‘ve already seen the abode. You’ve probably already shared your stories with my boys, but what do you say you’ll share them with me and my family over some nice stalkplum stew, eh?” [color=yellow]”I’m not sure what that is, but I could use some food,”[/color] Karamir agreed with a nod. “That’s exactly what it is! Good food, too! Come on, now - my wife’s probably just started cooking. Gotta tell her to set the table for two more!” Temüjin cackled and began strolling up the hillside with a joyous gait, followed by the three young girls. The remaining three newcomers stood staring at Karamir still until one of them, one of the women, asked assertively. “You a fighter?” “Borte, not so direct!” the other lady cautioned. “Oh snap, did you tell her, Nugai?” Batu said with a wry smile. “Tell her what?” Nugai smirked. [color=yellow]”I am a fighter, yes.”[/color] Karamir answered with some reluctance. Borte grinned from ear to ear, assumed a wide-legged stance and put one hand on her hip - the other, she pointed straight at Karamir’s face. “Hah! Then I challenge you to a wrestling match!” “Gods, Borte, can’t you--” “Shut up, Chinua, this is happening!” [color=yellow]”Now?”[/color] Karamir furrowed his brow. [color=yellow]”This doesn’t seem like a good time.”[/color] "Challenging people to wrestle is exactly what auntie would've done, so I'm doing it, too-- Hey, w-what's the big idea, Khorr?" The third male left, presumably named Khorr, grabbed Borte by the hand and dragged her up the hill with a frown on his face. "After dinner, you dolt…" "But Khoooooooorr!" the arguably grown woman complained as she was dragged along, followed by her twin Chinua. Nugai and Batu snicker to one another. "Every time… Hey, Karamir, come on. We'll head up, too." Karamir followed without another word, confusion etched upon his face. The group headed up the hillside, where the previously seemingly empty shack was ablossom with life and noise. A number of neat little carpets woven with grass fibers laid in a circle on a small clearing in the grass, surrounding a bubbling iron pot complete with a clay ladle and a small tower of clay bowls in various shades of brown, black and beige. Sitting on the carpets already were Temüjin, Khorr, Borte, Chinua, the three young girls, and the mighty Khublai. The young lad gave Karamir and Arryn a proud salute with his non-broken arm. “Welcome, guests! Welcome to my tabl-UGH!” The lad keeled forward as Khorr shook his fist free of pain. “Khublai, show some respect, would ya?” Khublai rubbed his stomach with a sniff and kept his mouth shut. Temüjin snickered. “Make yourselves comfortable now, friends - sit wherever you like. We don’t bite - well, ‘cept Borte. You can avoid her.” “Dad!” Borte pouted to the cackles of the old man. Karamir raised an eyebrow as he surveyed the scene, and suddenly found himself faced with a dilemma. Where would he sit? Who would he sit next to? He had never been in the company of more than three people at a time. After a few moments of thought, he eventually decided to throw caution to the wind and subvert expectations… and so he sat a few feet away from Borte, setting his spear down beside him. The young woman, as well as everyone else around the iron pot, eyed him with surprise. Temüjin let out a single laugh and nodded slowly. “S’pose he thinks I’m bluffing, huh,” he mumbled to Batu who sat right by. Borte, however, gave her father a proud grin and gave Karamir a smirk. “So, Karamir - you like to hunt?” [color=yellow]”I used to, but I’m a few decades out of practice,”[/color] Karamir admitted, causing Arryn to shake his head disapprovingly. The bird flew from his shoulder and landed on the carpet, beginning to strut the circle around the pot. [color=yellow]”Until recently I haven’t needed to, and the creatures of this land are still unfamiliar to me. It won’t be hard for me to learn, but it will take time.”[/color] Temüjin nodded. “My other boys are out for a hunt as we speak, trying to track down a shadow badger. Their pelts are nice and solid, and their tough meat makes for great jerky. They should be back tonight if they don’t catch it, so you can tag along with them tomorrow. If not, we’ll arrange something by the end of the week, I reckon.” [color=yellow]”This shadow badger… what does it look like?”[/color] Karamir asked. “Uhm,” Temüjin hummed. “It’s like someone took a wolf, shrunk it and rolled it in tar. They’re pretty crazy and have bitten Nugai a bunch of times.” Batu nodded over to his brother, who confirmed the statement by showing his three-fingered left hand. “Snappin’ badgers’ll take worse than fingers if you’re not careful,” he cautioned. “Oi, Annie! Can we eat yet?!” Temüjin suddenly called at the house. “... Just a moment…” came a faint call from inside, inciting a quiet groan from the old man. “Sorry ‘bout that,” he went. Karamir bristled slightly at the missing fingers, and then glanced over to the house as Temüjin called out to it. He shifted his attention back to the conversation. [color=yellow]”I think I killed a shadow badger just two days ago,”[/color] he mentioned. “Snap, really?” Batu went with an impressed nod. “How big was it?” With a shrug, Karamir extended his arms to indicate the length. The dreamers nodded first at him, then to one another. “Impressive, friend,” Erden stated to the agreeing hums of his family. “Must’ve been at least a young adult, that. They’re pretty fierce around that age. Did it get at you?” [color=yellow]”I wasn’t injured, if that’s what you mean. It came at me and I stabbed it before it could get too close,”[/color] he explained, gesturing to his spear. “Yeah, that sounds like a shadow badger, alright,” Batu, Nugai and Erden agreed on. “Crazy mutts, all of them.” Erden gave Karamir’s spear a lookover. “That bone-tip any sharp?” At the same time, an elderly woman came out of the house with a basket of flat cakes and a pot of something with a rank, sour smell. In her hair sat an odd little cloud that seemed to eye Karamir with a mixture of suspicion and curiosity. “Sorry, sorry, the flat cakes took forever to make today-- Oh, hello! Sorry I didn’t get to introduce myself earlier,” the lady said with a smile and sat the containers down by the pot. “Now, forgive me - it’s been a while since I exercised proper manners (marrying this idiot will do that to you)...” She eyed Temüjin with a loving smirk, at which the old man snickered. She then got down on her knees before Arryn and Karamir and lowered her torso and hands to the ground, placing her forehead just above soil level. “This servant is named Ansong, fourth daughter of Hermes and Xiaoli. It is a great honour to host His Holiness Arryn and His Exaltedness Karamir at our home.” “Sheesh, really taking it all the way, huh,” Temüjin snickered. “It is what Mother would have done,” Ansong replied with a smile. [color=yellow]”I don’t think that’s necessary,”[/color] Karamir spoke with uncertainty. Arryn turned his head. [color=brown]”Yes. It is appreciated, but there is no need,”[/color] the bird said. Ansong sat back up. “Oh, you are so modest, you two. Oh, wait, snap-- His Exaltedness and Holiness are--” “Annie, I think they get it,” Temüjin went. Ansong deflated a little, then sighed. “Oh, well. Was worth a shot, I suppose. Anyway! Dear guests, please help yourselves to a bowl and some stalkplum stew from the pot. Take some flat cakes to dip and add some kefir for flavour. I cannot recommend it enough.” “Don’t have to tell me twice,” Temüjin went and reached for a bowl. Ansong slapped his hand away and the old man looked at her with a look of betrayal. “Guests first, you oaf.” “A’ight, sheesh…” Karamir was somewhat befuddled by the strange customs at play, but decided not to comment further. He retrieved a bowl, filled it, took one of the cakes, and returned to his spot. Arryn, meanwhile, decided to abstain from eating and instead continued to make his rounds around the carpets, studying each Dreamer carefully. Temüjin filled his bowl first with some of the stinky, white liquid from the clay pot, then ladled in some stew and popped a flat cake in his mouth. His children and wife did the same. The old man slurped the stew from his bowl and rolled it around in his mouth with a smile. “As always, Annie, it’s perfect.” Ansong giggled. “Thanks, dear, you know I had to make it extra good for our guests.” “I think it tastes the same as it always does, though,” Khublai protested, receiving a bump in the back of the head from Khorr. The family did a mixture of a giggle and a sigh before Batu looked at Arryn with a curious expression. “Your Holiness, why don’t you eat? Do holy beings eat differently or something?” [color=brown]”Divine beings do not need to eat at all,”[/color] Arryn revealed. [color=brown]”And when I do, it is normally only creatures that I or my master have killed ourselves.”[/color] Karamir, meanwhile, slurped from his own bowl, paused for a moment, and then gave a slight approving nod at the taste. “Huh… So gods don’t eat?” Batu mumbled. “Does that mean all the sweetgrass pies we offer them are for nothing?” Nugai pouted with a frowned. “Pfft, ‘course not, kid,” Temüjin assured before looking at Arryn. “Right?” [color=brown]”Gods [i]can[/i] eat, and some of them do,”[/color] Arryn clarified, [color=brown]”But they don’t [i]need[/i] to. Though unless you were given something in exchange for those pies, you would have been better off keeping them for yourselves.”[/color] Ansong pouted, “... And here I was hoping Kalmar liked pies.” Erden patted his mother on the back. “They weren’t in vain, mom - at least the squolls enjoyed them.” “That doesn’t help, Erden!” Chinua challenged with the point of a finger. The three young girls snickered to one another. One of them turned to Karamir and removed a flower crown from her head. She showed it to him and asked in a sweet voice, “Can you make flower crowns, Karamir?” He looked at it for a moment, trying to figure out what value it possessed or what purpose it served. [color=yellow]”No,”[/color] he said, [color=yellow]”I cannot.”[/color] The girls giggled to one another again. The youngest one put her crown back on her head and said with a grin: “I can! Want me to show you how?” The adults snickered among themselves and had some more stew. [color=yellow]”Maybe some other time,”[/color] Karamir suggested. The giggles stopped and the girls instead silently and poutingly went back to their bowls. Temüjin slurped a loud mouthful, swallowed and pointed at bobbing finger at Karamir in thought. “Say, Karamir, you ever worked as a herder?” [color=yellow]”No,”[/color] Karamir answered with a slight shake of his head. [color=yellow]”I don’t know what that is.”[/color] “Now y’see, son, hunting’s all well and good - and it really is, Your Holiness,” Temüjin said and bowed his head to Arryn. “Buuut, see, for a nice and steady source of food, fur and wool, herding tree-eaters is the way to go.” [color=brown]”Too easy,”[/color] Arryn said dismissively, coming to a stop in front of Temüjin himself. [color=brown]”The hunter should not feed its prey, and the prey should not offer itself up willingly.”[/color] Temüjin gave Arryn a sideways nod. “Eh, see, with all due respect, I’d love to agree, Your Holiness, but it ain’t always easy - not even here. Sure, hunting works well to start off, but, well, sooner or later, there won’t be any beasts left. Herding makes up for those periods of the year, y’know.” His family members nodded in agreement. [color=brown]”You are saying this land does not allow you to sustain yourself on hunting, fishing, and foraging alone?”[/color] Arryn inclined his head. Everyone in the family shook their heads. “Winter kills all the berries and roots, and most of the animals retreat to either the Forbidden Forest or the Moving Mountains at the first snows,” said Batu and shook his head. “As for fishing, there are few good lakes and rivers around our house. Closest one is by Chagatai and Altansarnai’s and that’s half a day.” “Yeah, having your own animals is just… More convenient. Saves time and effort - lives, too, I reckon,” Temüjin proposed. “Yeah.” [color=brown]”Why not move with the animals?”[/color] Arryn questioned. [color=brown]”The snows make them easier to track, and many will be in hibernation.”[/color] “Well, then we’d have to abandon our home, wouldn’t we?” Temüjin said as if it was obvious. “Sleeping outside for the whole winter’s awful for your health, too.” “Makes it hard to keep warm,” Ansong added. [color=brown]”With enough furs and enough fire you can keep warm,”[/color] Arryn argued. [color=brown]”And eventually you will get used to it. Overcoming adversity makes you stronger.”[/color] “Ain’t much stronger if you die in the cold,” Erden said with a chuckle. “Overcoming challenges sounds like something for Wenbo. Then again, he’d probably also be against sleeping outside in the winter.” “He specifically told me not to do it when I last went to him for some health advise, if I recall,” Temüjin thought out loud. “Wenbo’s a really smart guy, though - second oldest brother in the flock, that one. Shame’s he’s also a bit of a, well… He’s got his ambitions.” [color=yellow]”What ambitions?”[/color] Karamir suddenly asked, cutting into the conversation. Temüjin blinked and cleared his throat. “Well, uh… He had heard this proposal from His Lordship Shengshi, y’see… Something about eternal wealth and health and whatnot for the Dreamers who’d come along with him and settle off Tendlepog. He’s always had a thing for big plots and divine plans, so, well, we went along with it and tried to get us to follow him.” He sighed. “Turns out, he really only wanted to go ‘cause he wanted to see the world. Think to risk all our safety and comfort here for a few nice views? No, no, not for me.” “I thought there was something to it,” Chinua mumbled quietly. Temüjin shot her a stare and shook his head. “Ain’t nothing but death off Tendlepog, Chinny. Don’t fall for it.” [color=brown]”There’s plenty of life outside Tendlepog,”[/color] Arryn interjected. [color=brown]”Thousands of living, intelligent mortals make their homes elsewhere, with their own communities and traditions.”[/color] “Really?” went Chinua, backed up by some curious expressions from the three young girls, Khublai and Khorr. Temüjin frowned and pursed his lips. “Hey, Annie - we got dessert tonight?” Ansong blinked out of the conversation and hummed pensively. “Uhm… Yeah, I think so! Let me go check.” Temüjin nodded. “Chinua, could you take the girls and help her look?” “But dad! His Holiness is--” “Please?” Chinua grunted angrily. “Fine. Come on.” She and the three girls got up and went inside with their mother. Khorr, reading the mood, followed along. Once they were out of earshot, Temüjin sighed. “Sorry ‘bout that. They were really taken by Wenbo’s promises of adventure. I love my brother, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t want my youngest going on a suicide mission with him.” [color=yellow]”Why do you assume it’s suicide?”[/color] asked Karamir. [color=yellow]”What is wrong with wanting to see more of the world?”[/color] Temüjin gestured around. “Look around ya, son. Here, we got food all around the year; we’ve got our houses and family; and most importantly, God watches over us here. We’re under His protection at all times in this land. Going outside means sacrificing all that - He told us so himself.” Nugai, Erden and Batu all nodded in agreement, Nugai raising his bowl to the heavens in salute. [color=yellow]”But if Wenbo is willing to give up that protection, and trust in the protection of another god, or choose not to have any protection at all, then what’s wrong with that? It’s his choice, isn’t it? You have food, house, and family, but there’s more to the world than that, and many will want to see it.”[/color] Karamir argued. “Oh, [i]he’s[/i] free to do as he wishes. My daughter Chinua, though - she ain’t yet to be married. Khorr’s barely past his teens and Khublai’s not even started them. Don’t even want to think about my three littlest grandchildren out there.” He shook his head. “Keeping the family going’s as much of a purpose as any, I reckon, one that truly shows the value of a man or a woman. Reckless exploration, however…” He shook his head again. “Call me old, but exploration almost got my two oldest brothers killed in their youth, and that was with God’s protection. Ain’t about to let the same happen to my own blood.” Batu eyed his father up and down. “Want me to get some milk wine, dad?” Temüjin nodded. “Bring cups for everyone, too, son.” Batu stood up and walked inside. [color=yellow]”They won’t be young forever,”[/color] Karamir pointed out. [color=yellow]”What happens if they get older, decide they want to leave, and are given the opportunity to do so?”[/color] “You ever had kids, Karamir?” Temüjin asked with a raised brow. [color=yellow]”I can’t,”[/color] Karamir answered, meeting his gaze. “Oh,” Temüjin said with a weak nod and closed eyes. Nugai and Erden gave Karamir sympathetic looks. Meanwhile, Batu came out with a short tower of cups and a clay jug sealed with a woven lid. “True shame that, son, true shame. Though from your views, it’s not hard to tell,” the old dreamer said and accepted a cup of an even more reeking liquid than the kefir. Batu proceeded to offer a cup to Karamir, as well. Karamir accepted a cup, but did not drink yet. [color=yellow]”So what were you saying?”[/color] he asked. “When you have kids, son, you begin to realise what truly matters - it ain’t that you should go explore; it ain’t that you should think about a purpose in life: Purpose’s already there for you.” He slurped the stinking drink and grimaced. His sons did the same. “See, your purpose becomes raising that kid, and your mind’s set on that. To see that little lump of hands and feet and a soft, little head grow up to be the most… Wonderful little kid there ever was.” He flashed his sons a loving smile, and they returned it each with one of their own. “Family’s everything, son - the self comes, well, second at most.” He sipped his drink again and swallowed reluctantly. “Does that make sense?” [color=yellow]”I can see why you might believe that, but that does not apply to everyone,”[/color] Karamir said. [color=brown]”There comes a point when a parent and child must part ways,”[/color] Arryn interjected. [color=brown]”They may decide or have to leave, and you may not be in a position to stop them. By the time they are ready to make that decision, you have done their duty, and should not hold them back.”[/color] “Half of ‘em aren’t even close to old enough to leave,” Temüjin said a little impatiently. “And Chinua will part ways with us when she moves in with her husband-to-be, as everyone else has done. Well, almost everyone else - Laia and Zhongcheng had some thoughts on that system. Bottom line is that none of them are ready to really made that decision. Wanting to leave the safety of paradise ‘cause of wanderlust is proof of that.” “Dad, perhaps you’ll want some water, eh?” Batu suggested and took another sip of his drink. “Fine, fine, fetch some…” Temüjin conceded and Batu once again rose up. [color=yellow]”But at some point they will be old enough,”[/color] Karamir pointed out, continuing the debate. [color=yellow]”And when that time comes, will you stop them?”[/color] “There’s only one chance, as far as we know, and once you leave, there’s no coming back.” [color=yellow]”Why not?”[/color] Karamir asked. [color=yellow]”If you can leave a place, surely you can return to that place in a similar way? Even if you can’t, why do you assume there isn’t somewhere better, or the same, as this? Wandering the woods of this place hasn’t felt too different from wandering the forests of Kalgrun. If somebody understands the risk and is willing to take it, that is their right.”[/color] “God said we couldn’t return once we’d leave. In case you haven’t noticed, Tendlepog’s got a Warden, and he guards the outer deserts. If you ain’t invited, you ain’t getting in. As for why the feeling’s the same, you aren’t protected by God, son. It’s hard to explain to a foreigner, but… It’s like the mind’s always at peace, thanks to God.” “Yeah, the thought of not having him be, well, everywhere’s kind of chilling, really,” Erden admitted and took another gulp of milk wine. “That’s why I feel the young’uns simply don’t get the risk. They think that if things go sour, there must be some way back or something, or God’ll be on their side in everything. Nope - said so himself. If we leave, we’re on our own.” [color=brown]”He forbade you from returning?”[/color] Arryn asked, his eyes clearly disapproving. [color=brown]”Why? That doesn’t make sense.”[/color] Temüjin shrugged. “He said there was no guarantee - knowing God, that’s basically a no.” His sons nodded. The old man accepted a cup of water from Batu who had just returned with a jug of the stuff. “Ain’t no secret that God wants us here, but ain’t no secret that he wants it ‘cause he knows it’s the best for us. He’s made paradise, and we’re lucky to be here.” [color=yellow]”You can’t call it paradise if you have nothing to compare it to,”[/color] Karamir pointed out. [color=brown]”If it is best that you stay, then K’nell shouldn’t need to threaten you with exile to keep you here,”[/color] Arryn pressed. [color=brown]”If the rest of Galbar is worse, then he shouldn’t have to worry about any of you leaving permanently. But what happens if Wenbo finds a better life out there and wishes to share it with you? He can’t.”[/color] “God doesn’t threaten us - he’s given us a reason to stay. You two seem like fine folk, truly, but I trust wholeheartedly in God when he tells me this place is better than the world outside. Why else would he make such a system to keep it out?” Temüjin asked and had a slurp of water. [color=brown]”K’nell is not the only god,”[/color] Arryn pointed out. [color=brown]”You should not be so quick to place his word above all others.”[/color] “Maybe not the only god, but he’s our God, and he’s done more than enough for us to deserve our trust and loyalty.” He drank the rest of his water and put down the cup. “We’ll have a fur tent set up for you out back, son. You can sleep there for the time being.” He nodded at Karamir and then at his sons, who stood up and went towards the house to set it up. [color=yellow]”Thank you,”[/color] Karamir said, remaining seated as he glanced down as his untouched drink. The conversation had given him much to consider, and frankly, he didn’t understand these Dreamers. Why did they so blindly accept whatever they were told? Why did they have no wish to leave, or learn anything more than what was directly in front of them? ‘I would be rather insulted to be the cause of any sort of pause in the advancement of higher thinking,’ K’nell had once told him. Yet it seemed K’nell had been doing exactly that. The God of Sleep continued to prove himself inconsistent, even frustratingly so. Arryn looked as if he was ready to continue the argument, but everyone else had already moved on, and so the avatar decided it must be saved for another day. Karamir, meanwhile, took another sip of his drink, still ruminating on his own thoughts. [hr] [hider=Post Summary] Karamir and Arryn wander a bit, until they find a house. A Dreamer child named Khublai greets them, and they ask where the others are. They follow Khublai’s directions and see the Dreamers herding some Tree-Eaters. They go down to introduce themselves, spooking a small child in the process. Karamir and Arryn explain who they are and where they came from. The Dreamers are surprised. Some back and forth ensues, in which they learn more about each other, and eventually Karamir is introduced to Temujin, who invites him to dinner. Some girl named Borte wants to wrestle him and Karamir is like: “nah maybe later.” Another smaller girl wants to show him how to make a flower crown and he is like: “nah maybe later.” They talk some more, and Karamir hears about Wenbo, as well as the decision to leave Tendlepog - which Temujin seems to disapprove of. A debate ensues over whether or not he was right to do so, whether or not it is better to risk leaving everything behind in search of something better, and whether or not K’nell is right to be so restrictive of Tendlepog. Karamir considers K’nell’s previous words about not wanting to restrict higher thought, and comes to the conclusion that K’nell was probably lying through his teeth at the time. Anyway, the Dreamers set up a tent for him, and he will be staying for a bit. [/hider] [hider=Prestige Summary] [u]Karamir[/u] [b]Beginning Prestige:[/b] 5 +1 for minor role. +1 for major role. +1 for collab. [b]Ending Prestige:[/b] 8 [/hider]