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By Scott Kujawa
Part 14
Date: 17th day of the 2nd tenday of Mirtul in the year 1375 - The Year of Risen Elfkin
Time: Morning to Evening
Location:The Moonsea on the way to Shadowdale.
Weather: Temperate and clear.Addoc started that morning’s dawnfry before everyone was awake and after he offered his devotion to Gond and he knew that it would turn out well because he used some of the new spices he found. Once Caerlin and Auy were awake, they prayed to their deities.
Auy looked over at Caerlin and smiled. "Do you have to pray to Mielikki in the morning or does is it the best time too?"
Caer smiled back at Auy. "I actually don't 'have' to pray to Mielikki, as I don't use magic. Praying to her for a good day is more a habit that I acquired from my father, than an actual necessity. He is a ranger of Mielikki in the North and so we prayed together in the mornings."
"Oh and that is a good habit to keep, even though you don't have too." Auy smiled. "I need pray every day if I want my spells to be given to me but I think even that if I didn't have spells I would still offer a few words each morning to Sharess. I find her tenants quite... nice and so I would offer my support to her even if I wasn’t a vessel of hers.”
Caer nodded. "Aye, I don't think I would feel right starting the day without at least a few words of thanks." Caer’s face became serious as she continued to speak. "Auy, the settlement that the fey told me about, it is an encampment of the followers of Malar. All that the fey knew was that it is to the northeast of Shadowdale or southish of where we will make landfall and it’s a couple of days inland." The scout shrugged. "I wasn't sure if I should let everyone know that information, or if I should just try to make sure that the caravan doesn't come anywhere near it."
Caerlin spoke with Jelitha to see if there is anyone that could help her practice with disabling traps and locks but the caravan master told Caerlin that the couple of merc’s that can do that were left at the settlement because no one expected to need such skills across the wilderness and after Caer thanked Jelitha, the scout turned to find something to do.
With two of the books he found on board the pirate vessel, Addoc approached the archer as she left the caravan master. "Here, lass, if you've a moment. I found these books with the rest of the spoils from the other ship, but they're in a foreign pen I've no ken of. D'ye recognize it?"
Caer stopped and smiled at Addoc. "Of course I have a moment." She took the books that Addoc is holding and she looked them over for a bit. "Well, they are both written in Illuskan. This one," she held up the leather covered and parchment paged tome, "Is titled "Lost Amongst Pirates" written by Geonos of Crimmor," She scanned a few pages. "and it seems to be about pirates." She flipped through some of the blue-green pages of the second book that are made out of some type of hide, and she frowned. "This one is titled "Words on a Wave" and it's was written by Arthaeuil Nrensam, High Trident of Onthalasp. It looks like it's a treaty about Umberlee worship, and faithfulness." She handed the books back to Addoc. "I hope that helps. If you want, I could try and teach Illuskan to you, that way you can read them for yourself." The smile returned to her face as she spoke.
"Well, aye," the giant nodded. "Seems a shame for there t'be books wanderin' about that I can't read. I'll send this tome 'bout Umberlee on to be added to the collection at one of the Wonderhouses, and I'll keep the one about pirates t'puzzle through as ye teach me, aye?"
Caer nodded at Addoc. "That sounds fine with me. Shall we work on it, say, after midday while we are on the Moonsea? And once we make the southern shore, we can decide when a good time will be."
Ragnar continued to hone his swashbuckling skill, but he also took the time to entertain Auren and anyone else by playing his flute and singing different songs and stories.
Late in the day, three water trolls could be seen not that far from the barges, but after they saw all of the mercenaries and how ready the Red Shields were to slay them, the beasties swarm towards the east and out of bow range.
Caerlin and Addoc sat against two of the walls of one of the wagons and the scout started to teach the cleric how to read and speak Illuskan.
Lady Auren crossed the deck and knelt down near Luie before she said something to the hin in a quite voice while he ate his late afternoon snack. When they were done discussing things with each other, they stood and started to spar with each other with wooden weapons.
"Try not to break the lad, m'Lady," the Gondsman called over with a good-natured rumble. "We find him useful, no matter how high his upkeep may be."
“Oh, aye. I’ll try not to,” she laughed before she groaned as Luie smacked her since she wasn’t paying attention.
After sparring, the monk rested for a bit before he tracked down one of the other mages on the barge. "Thethtos, I was wonder if you could have a look at this?" Luie asked as he held up the medallion. "If it contains magic then I’m planning on giving the item to whoever needs it. If you have the time to look at it that is..."
“Aye, I’ll look it over right now.” The mage withdrew a pouch of crushed pearl and sprinkled it over the medallion that he now held in his hand before he cast a spell. “Hmm, it is magical but it’s enchanted with the Power and so it belongs to some deity and I can’t tell what it does and only a skilled user of the Power will be able to find that out.”
“Many thanks, Thethtos. I guess I better hold onto it until landfall and then I’ll visit a local temple. I’m not sure if our resident clerics can take a crack at it or the bard.” Luie bowed to the mage once as the wizard nodded in agreement and then the hin walked off.
Addoc cooked another good eveningfast. After everyone ate, Luie mediated before he started to practice his forms. Aris asked if anyone found any tomes on the pirate ship.
"Neither Luie nor I have any tomes from the ship," Caer replied with a shrug as she stood from where she was sitting a few feet away, petting one of the ship felines. After Caerlin removed her hand from the feline, the animal turned its head to look at Aris and it hissed at him before it stalked off with its tail in the air, like it owned the barge.
"I found a few books the cutthroats had, lad," Addoc rumbled from where he was scrubbing a pot. "I've a couple on Umberlee I'm not looking over right now, or there's one on poisons and the like, if you'll have it back by mornin', and don't mind my scribblin's in the margins."
“My thanks, Addoc. I'll burrow the one about poisons and you can come and ask for it back any time you want.”
"Aye, it’s in the top of my pack, so help yourself." The giant drew himself up to his full height for a moment. "And lad... don't let me find out you've been usin' anythin' out of that tome for aught more than scholarly matters. There'll be none who'd want to stand twixt you and I, were that to happen."
Caer watched the feline stalk off with an amused look on her face and once it was out of sight she turned to Aris. "Aris, I would suggest that you do as Addoc asked and give the book back to him when he says, and not" she added with emphasis, "make him come chase you down." For once, there is no smile on Caerlins's face.
The Gondsman cleared his throat. "I appreciate the thought, lass, but I've no reason to think the lad is goin' to flee cross the water with that tome. An' while..." He hrmd and lowered his voice. "An' while I can see that he rankles you for whatever reason, he's done naught that I can see that would keep me from loanin' him a book - one that's not even mine t'begin with, in fact..."
Caer looked up at Addoc and offered an apologetic smile. She replied in a lowered voice as well, "Aye Addoc, I may have misunderstood his intent."
"Now Caerlin, why do I get the impression that you don't like me very much? I thought you'd made the simple assumption that Addoc could come and ask for the book today at any time. As I agreed, I would of given his book back to him by morning. My thanks again, Addoc,” Aris finished as he took the book and with a disappointed look, he walked away to read it.
Caerlin watched Aris walk off and then the scout shrugged. "I learned along time ago to never to assume anything," she said to no one in particular before she wandered off to find the feline that she was petting earlier and she saw that it was circling one of the barrels where some of the fare is kept, trying to get at the meat inside of the barrel.
Caerlin chuckled as she watched it for a bit as it growled at the barrel and swiped at it with its claws. She walked over to it, scooped it up, and sat with her back against the barrel while stroking the female feline. "I wonder if you have a name?" she said as it gazed at her and purred. "I may have to think of one for you if you don't have one." She smiled and continued to stroke it while it nuzzled her with its head.
The content of Champions of the Silver Wyrm is the property and copyright of Scott Kujawa and is not to be published or redistributed without permission.