[center][h1][color=LightYellow][b][u]Instigation[/u][/b][/color][/h1][/center] The day was blisteringly hot and it was one of the only days where Forral liked to acknowledge his Almanaki blood. He had never once suffered a sunburn like all of his entirely human friends. Sure, he lacked the russet skin his mom had, but he was still darker and his tan seemed to rise up like a wave to meet any amount of sun. Now, he was no full Almanaki, so this was a mild tolerance, not the same kind of biological power that allows a person to go for a week without water all while radiating body heat through highly efficient sweat. Forral was simply immune to the sluggishness hot afternoons bring on and tended to sweat far less, a trait he was silently thankful for as he looked at the young man who was gulping down water so fast that the stray droplets gushing down his chin almost matched the ones coming down his brow. He looked absolutely miserable, on the verge of collapse. Having to run all the way from Stagwood. The long looping cord he wore around his shoulder marked him as a runner, and given that a couple of the loops were cut, he had already visited a few villages before Harri. “What news do you bring?” That was the Taev,a garying veteran with a build that one could describe as a once tall, now weathered mountain as well as the de facto head of Harri. The runner was leaning on him as he held the skin that the boy was gulping from, “Is it good or bad? We won’t be able to handle Trolls so you better say it’s good.” “Not Trolls,” The young man gasped between mouthfuls of water, “The Grand Army is headed for Stagwood.” “That’s a relief,” The village leader sighed, “Which Hand is it? Tasslman Vem or had Clokman Houmir finally decided to return to his post?” The boy shook his head as he stood up and took the waterskin from Taev. “The runner from Loggerbrook said it was the Vir himself.” “The Vir!” Taev was taken aback, “Does that mean that the campaign against the Ndarian’s is done? But why would he come out to the Western territory, the Almanaki haven’t tried anything for over thirty years!” “I have no idea, I’m not the Vir,” the runner declared as he slipped the multi-colored coils of cord off his shoulder, measuring out the loops, “Which town is this?” “Harri.” “Harri? Then you’ll need two cords,” The runned produced a knife and sliced two lengths of braided rope, one red, one silver, and handed them to Taev, “If I recall, you are supposed to have a runner that goes to Tinmine?” “That is correct,” The village leader took the ropes, “I suppose we are the red?” “Yep,” The runner tossed the remaining cords back over his shoulder, “The Vir was two days from Loggerbrook this morning, so he should be about three from Stagwood. When he shows up, twenty able bodies from Harri need to be waiting for him with that cord. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to make it to Redbrook by nightfall.” With that, the young man took off again, running out of the town just as fast as he ran in. a giddiness filled Forral as he watched the runner dash into the distance. The Vir himself. Forral hoped that Taev would choose him to go join the Grand Army. The older man began barking orders at the villagers, already preparing for when he would need to send out the Harri Convoy the next day. “Ormond, you run down to Festam’s farm down by the marsh, I know her two boys have been raring to join the Grand Army for years now. Toscgond, you start preparing equipment for the road. And Broun, where is Broun?” The tiny center of Harri was bustling as the people who had been there when the Runner arrived dispersed to either do their given job or spread the word. Soon, volunteers would begin arriving at Taev’s house to try and be picked to join the Convoy. Luckily, Forral was already there. The fourteen year-old marched up to Taev, who was discussing something with another older man who Forral didn’t know that well. Forral was a small kid and only went about half way up the old warrior’s chest. Taev and his companion were deep in discussion and hadn’t noticed Forral’s approach. The boy stretched himself as tall as he could go and then tried to catch their attention. They still didn’t notice him. Forra sighed and tapped Taev on the elbow. “What!?” The older man growled, angry, before he looked down at Forral and softened, “Oh, hey Forral, are you here because you know where Broun is?” [color=BurlyWood]‘What? No!”[/color] Forral scrunched up his brow, briefly forgetting why he had gotten Taev’s attention in the first place, [color=BurlyWood]“Why do you need Broun?”[/color] “He’s our town runner,” Taev briefly turned back to his original talking partner and said a few quick words. He went away and the town leader turned back to Forral, “I figured he would need to leave rather quickly if he would want to get back before the Convoy leaves tomorrow. So if you could go fi-” [color=BurlyWood]“Broun’s going with the convoy!”[/color] Forral interrupted, bouncing up and down a little in place. Excitement was bubbling up in him again, he couldn’t wait to go and serve the Vir in the Grand Army with his friend, [color=BurlyWood]“That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about!”[/color] Forral assumed the most soldierly position he could manage, [color=BurlyWood]“I am here in the Grand Army, in the name of the Vir!”[/color] Taev looked the boy up and down, a frown dressing his face. Forral thought he saw the older man’s gaze rest a fraction of a second longer on the line of trimmed feathers on his brow. “Maybe next time,” Taev declared, patting Forral on the shoulder with his heavy hand, “Right now I need you t-” [color=BurlyWood]“Why not!”[/color] Forral shouted, throwing away Taev’s hand, [color=BurlyWood]“Broun is going! I should get to go too!”[/color] “Broun is older,” Taev crossed his arms and looked down, “And he-” [color=BurlyWood]“Only by two years!”[/color] Forral interrupted again, throwing his hands in the air, a pleading look entering his eyes, [color=BurlyWood]Is it because I’m small? I’m not done growing! By the time I’m done training I’m sure I’ll-”[/color] “Forral!” The village leader boomed, rising to his full height. The boy cowed, Taev let himself soften back up and use a gentler tone, “It isn’t just age or size, Forral. I don’t really know how to explain this to you, but it is just that-” [color=BurlyWood]“My mother is Almanaki,”[/color] Forral hissed, not waiting to hear what Taev was going to say. “No, that isn’t at all what-” [color=BurlyWood]“Yes it is! Of course it is!”[/color] Forral fumed, his hair seeming to stand up as he raged, “[color=BurlyWood]You don’t think I’m good enough!”[/color] “Forral, stop.” [color=BurlyWood]“No, I won’t! You just don’t want to admit it! People are always making comments! And you always dance around the subject, but it was your idea for me to trim my feathers! You know I used to like my feathers!”[/color] Tears speckled the corner of Forral’s eyes and his jaw clenched so hard that his temples bulged, [color=BurlyWood]“Admit it, you just don't want me to go because you hate me!”[/color] At that last part, Forral threw down his foot in an angry stomp, his voice booming louder than a fourteen year-old should be able to and the ground itself shaking slightly. Neither he nor Taev took note of this as the two stared each other down. “I don’t hate you,” The elder growled through gritted teeth, ‘But this- This right here- is exactly why I’m not sending you to the Vir’s army.” Forral shrunk down, all the energy that had been swelling up in him dissipating in an instant. The angry tears that had been about to fow were dammed up as they changed and lost their heat. Taev sighed and looked down at the dejected boy. Forral went to slink away but Taev caught his arm and softly turned him back around. “Hey, kid,” Taev started, as Forral tried to shakeaway, “Just because I’m not sending you with the Convoy tomorrow doesn’t mean you can’t still prove yourself.” Forral looked up at him, quickly wiping the corner of his eyes. His face was hardset and it was clear he didn’t believe Taev. Taev slipped the silver cord the runner had given him out of his pocket and held it out for Forral. “Someone still needs to deliver this message to Tinmine,” The man declared, “And since I still don’t Broun is, I think it would be good for you to deliver it.” [color=BurlyWood]“You want me to do an errand for you,”[/color] Forral frowned, looking down on the cord with disdain. ‘Well yes,” Taev conceded, “But it is an important errand. Part of the reason I trust Broun to go to the army is because he was such a responsible Runner.” Forral snatched the cord from Taev, his face still furrowed up in mid anger, [color=BurlyWood]“Fine, I’ll take it. And when I’m back, I’ll prove that I can go join the army”[/color] The two maintained eye contact for a while longer. Neither openly showed any of the emotions darting behind their eyes. “Do you remember what a silver cord means?” [color=BurlyWood]“At least five men and a cart laden with as much ore and tools as possible.”[/color] “Don’t get lost.” [color=BurlyWood]“I know the way, Broun has talked about it before.”[/color] “Along the ravine until you hit the creek, then follow the cairns up the mountain.” [color=BurlyWood]“I just said I knew the way.”[/color] With that, Forral broke the stare and dashed away, the message cord clutched tightly in his palm. “Make sure to give that to Altor!” Taev called after the boy, “He is the head miner! And don’t forget what the Silver Cord means!” Forral didn’t respond and Taev stood and watched the determined figure run through the hot air towards his destination. Taev knew his counterpart in Tinmine knew what the cord meant and he knew that Forral wouldn’t forget. He just wanted the boy to feel like he was outshining the expectations of him. Taev sighed as Forral vanished over a hill. He shouldn’t have sent him, he should have found Broun and made the runner do his job. But the village leader hoped that this would maybe let Forra blow off some steam and accept that he was never going to be sent to the Grand Army, at least not while he was still in Harri. Taev looked after everyone in his town, and he knew a lot more about each and everyone one of its inhabitants than he let on. He knew that Forral’s parents, Halmond and Alla, were fugitives from something and that, for one reason or another, both were terrified of someone very close to the Vir. Taev could not in good conscious send Forral towards whoever that may be. [hr] Four days hard march from Harri, the small city of Woodcrest was swarmed by small gray tents. The orderly lines surrounded the walls of the city and stretched into the farmland surrounding. The sound of many shouts, hammering ringing, and stoenbirds calling filled the air. The Grand Army had besieged the city, raiding all its stores and draining the resources like locust. All the while, volunteers and conscripts from Woodcrest and the surrounding settlements poured into the camp, bearing their Cords of Summons. Woodcrest would strain to support the Grand Army and indeed the Army would hurt the city for a few years to come, robbing it of resources and men. But every single citizen knew that they were far safer suffering terribly trying to maintain the army for two days than if they refused at all. Hofmar Qull-Born laughed to herself as she sipped from her chalice and looked down at the scene from the tower of Woodcrest’s lord. Behind her, the fat man who was like all the other fat men in Virfeild blubbered and prostrated in front of the Vir. When the Grand Army was on the other side of the nation, he would declare himself King of Woodcrest and maybe even war against his neighbors. But the moment true power returned, he was reduced to a snivelling chick, peeping incessantly to try and dissuade the fox from eating it. Hofmar turned around and went back to the lavish table that had been prepared for their arrival. The Vir, of course, sat at the head, a silent pillar in the room roaring with the sounds of many soldiers reveling. His tall, broad form cutting the air around him like an obelisk thrust in defiance against the gods. He was in his full battle regalia, as he always needed to be. The gray at his temples and age creeping into his eyes seemed to add to the power his handsome face radiated. He did not seem to be listening to nor caring about the lord of Woodcrest, just smoldering into the middle distance. He did perk up when Hofmar slid back into her seat at his side. “It is good that you chose to come with me on this expedition,” The Vir rumbled curtly before turning back to the lavish steak that had been set in front of him. He did not smile as he said it and nor were the words ones of praise, but Hofmar knew the man well enough. [color=dfa8e6]“It’s honestly my pleasure,”[/color] She smiled as she snapped for someone to refill her wine. It was the lord’s wife who came to do it. She was far too pretty for him and had clearly been dolled up just to show off to the Vir, [color=dfa8e6]“Thank you dear.”[/color] The woman bowed slightly and murmured some platitudes, but Hofmar couldn’t help but notice the steeliness set in her eyes. She clearly hated having to do this, to be paraded about. Hofmar had to stifle a laugh as she saw this determination. Sadly, the lord’s wife had made the mistake of not seizing power when she had the chance. Now her defiance was wasted. Hofmar found it oh so pitiful. Still, the woman was pretty despite her passive nature, the witch may need to visit her later. Hofmar sent the woman away and turned back to the Vir, who was slowly chewing the meat set in front of him. [color=dfa8e6]“So,”[/color] she began,[color=dfa8e6] “Do you have any specific reasons for coming out to the Western province besides a regular subjugation round?”[/color] “If I did, I wouldn’t need to tell you,” The Vir growled as he choked down a bloody chunk of meat. [color=dfa8e6]“Well, I’ll have you know I happen to have an errand to run around these parts,[/color]” Hofmar laughed as she watched him eat. He hated meat, yet that was all people ever served him, [color=dfa8e6]“Just a little something I have to pick up.”[/color] “Is it important?” The Vir grunted. [color=dfa8e6]“If it was, I wouldn’t need to tell you,”[/color] Hofmar laughed as she took another draught of wine. The Vir looked up from his slab of steak, his brow knitting together and eyes smoldering. Hofmar sighed, he was such a child sometimes. She snapped her fingers and the steak vanished, being replaced with an enormous steamed gourd, crowned with all kinds of spices. The Vir looked shocked at his food and then looked around at all the other generals and such who were at the table. [color=dfa8e6]“Don’t worry, everyone else still sees the meat, you can maintain your image,” [/color]Hofmar finished her glass and stood up and began walking for the exit, running her hand along the back of the Vir’s chair and onto his shoulder, [color=dfa8e6]“I’m going back to the room.”[/color] There was a pop and the witch disappeared, teleporting away. She loved this life, and she wasn’t about to give it all away because she had made a deal with a god. All Hofmar needed was to pick up the boy and make sure he joined the Grand Army. All those soldiers blindly followed their leader, and once Iternis’s favorite mortal joined the army, then the god would be unable to make her leave. Hell, if she eventually made the kid the Vir, she could live large for the rest of eternity. [hider=Summary] We’re back in the town of Harri and Forral is down in the square. A runner has come to town and he says that the Grand Army is coming. The runner gives the Town Leader, Taev, two Cords of Summons (Basically just colored cords that need to be brought to the Vir’s Army along with whatever supplies/men the specific cord orders) The Runner says that some one from Harri needs to go give the second Cord to another town, deeper in the mountains and not part of his route. When the runner leaves, Taev starts organizing a Convoy to send to take the Cord to the Grand Army and tries to find Forral’s friend, Broun, who is the town’s runner, so that he can go deliver the second cord to Tinmine. Forral tries to volunteer to join the convoy, as his friends are going to be part of it. Taev tells him no and the Forral throws a fit, convinced that it’s because he’s a quarter Almanaki. Turns out, it was because Forral is too immature and that whole fit made him look like more of a doof. So Forral starts having a Not Good Time ™ Taev feels bad for him and decides to give him the Cord to take to Tinmine in the hopes that it will help him calm down and make it feel like he is doing something important. So Forral takes the cord and runs off, promising to prove that he is responsible enough to go to the army. Cut to Hofmar Qull-Born, the witch who made a deal with Iternis to protect and guide his avatar, being a bit of a villian. She is with the Vir and absolutely loves the total power that comes with her position. She decides that she is going to try and indoctrinate Forral into the Grand Army cult-of-personality that surrounds the Vir so that she can fufil her end of the deal and not give up her cushy lifestyle. [/hider] [hider=MP & Prestige] 0 MP spent +5 MP for Hofmar so now she’s at 10 [/hider]