A Record of Ash & Ruin: The Grieving Lands

Book 2: Chapter 19: Calm

Faerie Powder, Star Dust, the Call of Oblivion - verily, the Dust of the free city of Al-Lazar, is known by many names throughout the wide expanse of the known world. In measured quantities, the substance is known to confer great benefit, improving the health and sharpening the faculties of those who partake of it. But beware, for in larger doses, it grows to be a most potent addiction. It is said that in the throes of its influence, one may reach the very heights of euphoria, and even catch a glimpse of the veil that separates our world from the beyond. The Dust grows only along the shoreline of Al-Lazar, where the briny sea meets the burning shore. It is the pollen of the Asixum plant, infused with the power of Mana, and is known in the local tongue as the Nabat Alasum, the Indulgence of the Gods.

- The Fanciful Travels by Beron de Laney 376 AC.

The sound of hammers pounding away at steel and the cry of a foreman exuding men to greater efforts stole me away from the last of my sleep. For a few short moments, I thought I was back in the slave pens of Ansan and hurriedly got to my feet. A little disoriented, I looked around and my mind finally caught up to the present. In one of the corners, Larynda was rubbing her eyes, and I felt the weight of a large meaty hand on my shoulder.

Turning around, I saw the ice-blue eyes of the man-mountain looking at me, with concern welling in their depths, and I was finally able to still myself.

“Peace, Gilgamesh of Uruk, and good morning,” he intoned in his rumbling voice. Using more than one word was a good sign that the man was in a good mood. The large man rationed his words as if he had a limited supply.

I felt the panic leave me as I got myself together, my mind piecing together all of the events that had brought me to this point. I praised the lucky stars that we were finally leaving the lands of the Tides.

“Thank you, friend. For a moment I was trapped in a fragment of the past,” I uttered hoarsely, still slightly surprised by the sudden swell of my own emotion.

“All is well for now,” Kidu said simply, as Larynda stretched out her arms and yawned loudly.

I nodded to Kidu, who was fully equipped with his panoply of war, and the wisp of a few days' growth of stubble about his face gave him a hard and rough look. He ran a hand across his chin, and in a sympathetic reaction, I touched my own face but my fingers only met with smooth skin. Save for the accumulated scars that disappeared every time I cast Greater Heal, my avatar did not change.

Opening the door to the wagon, I was greeted with the dull gray dawn light and the sights of the caravan preparing to be on the move. Towards the center of the wagons, the cooks from the night before were already serving the day’s breakfast. Flat unleavened bread was cooking on sizzling hot iron griddles, the appetizing smell floating on the fresh morning air.

We left the wagon so the girl child could finish changing into her clothes. Moving into the camp proper, our group received our portions from the industrious cooks. The bread was plain, but with just a hint of honey. It was heavy and filling and I could see how even small portions could fuel a day’s labor. We ate quickly as the cooks told us that the caravan would be leaving within the hour, once the beasts had been fed and watered.

As we were returning our used bowls and cutlery, I saw something that caught my attention. An old woman was walking toward where the large draft animals were corralled. She was rake-thin and moved with a willowy grace that belied her advanced age. One of the Xaruars, familiar with her presence, lowed in greeting, nudging her waist as she passed.

The woman’s face crowded in irritation as she looked at the draconian creature. Rubbing the large animal's head, she shooed it away, all her attention focused on what she had to do. She raised her hands, her face in a rictus of concentration, and she began to chant in a clear voice that cut through the noise of the camp. Wisps of blue energy played about her, drawn from the ground and the very air itself. After what felt like long moments, the spell ended and the workers around her paused their work and bowed their heads in thanks.

The woman was breathing heavily, the magic having taken its toll on her. The woman looked distracted and I thought it would be a good time to cast Identify on the magic user. For a moment, a puzzled look crossed her face.

Ankhset Ulgen - Water Mage (Human lvl.16) Health 152/152 Stamina 16/23

Mana 4/16

Once she had finished with her duty, I saw her enter a large purple wagon gilt with gold paint, aided across the stairs by two burly guards. The guards themselves were not a match for Kidu in height, but they were very wide of shoulder, and stout.

Her class was a typical clichéd fantasy water mage. Predictably bland for this world, I thought to myself. I recalled my earlier conversation with Laes, what did he mean exactly by the ‘call’ of her element? I would have to ask him later. Or perhaps I could even ask the woman herself.

I looked at my companion for their reactions and saw that they had barely reacted at all to the display of the magic. I needed more information. Was magic such a casual and mundane thing for the people of this world that it barely raised an eyebrow? I needed to confirm if this was merely a mundane thing for people of this world. Questions upon questions. My mind thirsted for knowledge.

From her class name, I had a vague idea of what she did, but I needed confirmation on what a ‘Water Mage’ actually was. What they could do…

“Larynda, what just happened now? What exactly did that woman over there just do?” I asked the little girl, pointing at Ankhset’s gaudy wagon.

“Oh, that? That was just a bit of magic,” the girl shrugged as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

I had to grit my teeth to stop the annoyance seeping into my voice. I was dealing with a child, so patience would be necessary. I took a small breath.

“I deduced as much, but what kind of magic exactly?” I replied, trying to keep a smile on my face.

“Don’t they have Water Callings where you come from?” she answered finally, looking surprised.

“... and what is a Water Calling, pray tell?” I asked insistently, ignoring her question.

“Just the Water Seeker asking the local spirits to fill up the water barrels. Mornings ‘r usually the best times for that,” the little girl replied offhandedly. “So you never seen a Water Mage, and you never seen a Water Calling, right? Where exactly are you from anyways?” she said quizzically, looking at me as if I was an alien creature. Seeing my puzzled look, she finally decided to explain, "Well, like, umm... they call water and fill up the barrels and stuff that caravans need to cross the dry sea… you know, for drinking like. Mornings are apparently some of the best times to be doing that stuff. Something about being easier with all the morning dew about. But that's really all I know," she finished with a shrug of her shoulders.

I stopped for a moment as I let the casual way she talked about magic run through my mind. This really was a different world, I reminded myself for the umpteenth time. It seemed that here there really was no stigma to the act of using magic, and it was openly used for people’s convenience. In my own world witches had been burned at the stake for less. The more I learned about this place and its strange peoples, the more I realized how little I truly knew.

Nodding to Kidu, who returned the gesture, I gave an offhanded thanks to Larynda as I walked towards the Mage’s wagon only to find the girl trailing behind me, like a lost puppy. Like all the wagons of the caravan, the Mage’s played with the theme of purple and was of a heavy, durable construction - basically a house on wide wheels. Unlike the other wagons, gaudy filigreed gold script ran along the sides of the vehicle, of arcane-looking symbols that reminded me of ancient Sanskrit.

The guards, one of them a woman, I realized upon closer inspection, eyed me as I came closer. They began to bark out what could only be a command to stop but I could barely understand a word of the rest. Eventually, they shouted at me in the common Trade tongue.

“Stop, there. What business do you have with the Water Seeker?” the male asked in a gruff and unfriendly voice, while the twin on his left sneered. I say twin, for they could only have been thus, each an almost mirror reflection of the other.

They were imposing figures, twin towers built from layered slabs of muscle. The pair's thick, tree-like arms made my own look like twigs in comparison. Wearing the flowing clothes of the steppe, they sported mean-looking wooden cudgels at each of their hips. Despite their fearsome size and their surly expression, their faces, by contrast, were actually quite pleasant to look at. Both of them had delicate features accentuated by their tilted eyes. Above said eyes were delicate tattoos, inked in the pattern of flowing water. A part of me thought that gods were fickle with their gifts, for comely faces were obviously wasted on creatures such as these.

Holding up my hands, as a sign of non-violence, I stated, “I was wondering if I could exchange a few words with the Water Seeker to further my study. Where I come from, such magic is not needed, and I was wondering…”

“Mother is busy, deep in her meditations, and will not want to be disturbed. Away with you now,” said the overly large female, an edge now to her otherwise pleasant voice.

I felt a movement behind me as Larynda peeked out and squeezed herself into the conversation.

“Please don’t be minding my friend here, he’s just a bit strange, that’s all!” she smiled at them half-chuckling which infected them with the beginnings of an outbreak of smiles at the corner of their mouths.

The pair resisted for a moment before they gave out a laugh and commented on her outburst, “Oh, aren’t you a pretty thing! It’s strange company that you keep, little one. To not have a Seeker on a journey such as this would be to court the slow death. Ha!” guffawed the male incredulously. I had to bite back my growing irritation, as coming to blows without Kidu to back me up would be the height of foolishness.

“Yes! Don’t I know it,” Larynda responded trying to sound childishly worldly, “Jus’ the thing is, I am also a bit curious. How she do such a great thing like that anyways? Name’s Larynda by the way” she replied in her musical voice, thick with charm, and she reached out, as if to shake their hands.

Instead of shaking hands, however, the two guards, with a grace that belied their thick heavy-set build, touched her elbows. The girl child could only reach around three-quarters up their arms.

“What a lovely little thing you are! I am Aizere and this blockhead is my brother Erasyl,” the large woman said as she ruffled the half-elf’s hair and smiled down at her.

The brother frowned and paused for a moment, “... I have seen them in the company of Master Harevor, if they are the caravan master’s guests, perhaps mother will want to speak to them once she recovers…”

He was quickly silenced by a deadly look from his sister. Realizing they were in the presence of strangers, they both quickly changed expressions, reining in their loose tongues.

“Allow me to make my introduction, I am Gilgamesh of Uruk,” I stated simply, smiling a thin cold smile, without offering out an arm, but instead sampling the brother with an Identify spell.

Erasyl Ulgen - Water Mage Apprentice (Human lvl.13) Health 162/162 Stamina 34/34

Mana 11/11

“Please tell the Seeker that we wish to speak to her at her leisure,” I informed them as civilly as I could, “Come now, Larynda. We have some business with the caravan master.”

“We do? Can’t we stay a bit longer and have a chat…” piped the girl, in the annoying manner of children everywhere. I almost hit her. Patience, I reminded myself. Patience.