Meeting a caravan of the Rose Temple.
Michael James Watson
As son comes up in the morning she hears the sound of wagons rolling. Lots of them. Moving to a place secure to see she finds a collection of perhaps 40 gypsy wagons of many collors and designs. A heard of cattle, goats, sheep and being pushed along and seem to set the pace. People walk alng side the agons. She sees a group singing as they walk along. It seems like they are going a wooded area near the lake she has been using
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex having probably used parts of the old weathered camp of the fallen man. She has made a high sleeping spot in a tree. Her dragons nestled in their own little hammock she had made of furs she had cleaned by now and her army over coat they had been traveling in. Hearing the wagons she looks first from the perch she is in. Not with her bow in hand. Though memories shoot through her mind of her encounters she had in the past with a caravan of wagons and people. Though this does not seem like a horde or a warband or people up for looting and pillaging. They seem calm, peaceful. When she is more sure of which route they take she is willing to show herself a bit. Still not with weapon in hand but her bow does hang around her shoulder it would be stupid not to be able to defend oneself in a moments notice. She tries to listen to their singing, wondering what they are singing, if they are marching songs, or more bardic tellings, romantic songs. It could say alot about a group what type of music taste they share.
Michael James Watson
Listening to their songs they seem fairly scatological. Sexy songs, Sea Shanties, and "kids" songs that are a lot like adult versions of "The Cow in the meadow goes moo, the cow in the meadow goes moo, then the farmer hits him in the head and grinds him up and that's how we get hamburger...noowwww Chickens!" She nots some of the wagons have rubber tires. A few of the vehicles are motorized. There are some side arms and riffles in evidence but mainly for hunting and self -protection. It means the tech level is high and matches the bow and camping equipment. As they reach the lake there is a quick conferance followed by setting up tents and encampment elements.
Amber Bronkhorst
By now Alex would have waken up the dragons and let them crawl onto her arms and shoulders. letting them settle in for now as they wake up. In a hushed tone she speaks "So what do you say shall we got say hello to our neighboring campers. " With that she starts to climb down. She lets the dragons decide themselves if they want to fly down or be carried down. Down at the camp she checks the sacks with the by now smoked meat that was done. Making sure no animal had touched it. And she checks her smoker. tossing on more wood and checks if the meat is done yet or needs a bit more. When she had handled that and given her three hungry dragon babies some meat she walks towards the more open parts of her camp so that she can be easily be spotted. With her bow over shoulder the quiver on her belt she calmly walks up, keeping a very keen eye on their reactions to her presence.
Michael James Watson
As she approaches a motherly woman walks out toward her. a couple goats following her casually. "Fair walks and well met. I'm Calhou. I'm a Doyan of the Rose Temple of Abbot Falin Deasar. Be welcome at our fire."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles at the welcome, at least that sounds friendly enough. She inclines her head. "Thank you Calhou, my name is Alexandra. I was taking a break in my travels and set up camp over there. " She points to where she has the cleaning area and her tree set up as camp. One of the dragons probably dangling from her arm as she gestures back. (i suspect the red or the blue one might be the most playful) "Thank you for welcoming me at your fire, but i hope i do not insult you if i first ask, what is the Rose Temple? i am afraid i had not heard of it before. "
Michael James Watson
She is staring at the dragons. "Wow... what are those? THey look like little dragons.. are they a kind of bird? "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex gambled for a 50 to 50 or more.. 50 to infinite chance that dragons were normal here. Sadly not as it seems. "they are.... " she pauses a moment Alex is not great at lying, and it would just make for a bad first start of meeting, she could eventually suggest they might come from far far away... which is the truth. She continues "they are little dragons yes. Due to circumstances they ended up in my care. So i care for them. " To change the subject she looks back for a moment "On that note it seems that their eyes were bigger than their stomachs and had hunted alot of food. I am in the process of smoking the meat to not let it go to waste. Would you perhaps be interested in taking some of my hands? i still have some none smoked meats as well. And it seems you have plenty of mouths to feed. "
Michael James Watson
She still stares at the dragons,.. Ah... wow... I haven't seen such things existed on Urath.. ah. I mean.. ah.. well in a long time. . oh.. well gladly we would share your bounty. Be welcome to share ours. We are setting up here for a week. Refit, repair. Then next Thorsday we go down into White Dog, hit the 44 and go into Winnipeg. We'll be setting up for at least a month. The usual Rose Temple things, you know,. the Seven Creeds. If you have wild game I am sure that would be a delicacy. We have had a run of mutton recently. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Slowly nodding she at least gets in which direction in shadow she is, or what she understood from books she had read and the instructions and tales of Arlo. An earth Urath Uruth kind of shadow. She then shrugs lightly when Calhou says the usual Rose Temple things. "I am sorry like i said, i do not know what the Rose temple means or what you stand for. But you seem nice enough folk though. " She tries to smile her slight awkwardness away. "Let me gather what i do not need for my own travels. i have still one more deer to clean which i kept hanging on the branches. And you are welcome to that fresh meat as well. Let me gather things and i hope you or someone could tell me more of the Rose Temple and what you do. I love to hear tales and learn new things."
Michael James Watson
Bringing her into the Camp as its being set up she introduces her around a bit. A Woman in blue jeans and a tshirt, comes over. She has a tool belt around her waist. She says, "The small tents will be over there but if its just you and your dragons you are welcome to take space in that yellow Guest Wagon. It at least has the roof."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles as she is being introduced, polite to all she sees and speaks to. It is who she is afterall. For a moment she is not to worried about her journey. She can use the break she was taking to meet new folks and perhaps learn a thing or two of them. And sharing her surplus in food makes her feel less guilty of having shot the animals rampaging her way. Alex smiles at the offer of the wagon, "oh that is very polite, but the weather is nice enough and i do not mind sleeping out in the open. i need to keep an eye on my cleaning camp anyway make sure the meat doesn't get spoiled or burned and i would not want to impose on you, i have no idea yet what way i am going after this and most importantly when i am picking up the journey. Just happy to share the extra food I have." She looks about for a moment appreciating the business of setting up a camp the way they do it. Feeling very sociable Alex offers. "I could help with setting up camp if you need an extra pair of hands. I have some experience in camping. "
Michael James Watson
The woman nods, "As you please. Calhou can show you around. I'm Abbot Dulcia. This is my Temple. As I said we will be here a week. Feel free to come over. As for setting up, I appreciate the offer but our people know their jobs and will handle them." A tarantula crawls out of her pocket and up onto her shoulder, down an arm as she talks. The dragons eye the spider with interest. Dulcia chuckles, "No, winged ones, it isn't food. Now, go annoy the lake fish. "
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles inclining her head. "thank you, and pleasure to meet you Abbot Dulcia, I do wonder what kind of temple is it? I heard Rose Temple being named, but sorry to say i am not familiar with it. " Looking at her dragons eyeing the tarantula she raises an eyebrow "The three of you ate a whole deer, if you are hungry go hunt. but this time work together instead of sending as many my way as you did. " She then looks back at the Abbot Dulcia. "As it might be obvious i am not from around here. Have quite a journey behind me and still along way to go
Michael James Watson
She smiles, "Its been many shadows since i saw psuedodragons. Such lovely creatures. Playful, rather then vicious. They are new to you i would guess. Hunting was my clue. They are hoarders like full dragons. I knew one in Antheris that hoarded buttons. The beast could not be left alone in someone's house or every button in the home would be gone. As for the Rose Temple, we are travelers. Tellers of tales, bringers of News. My caravan has been on this world for nearly 20 years. Its about time to move on. You smell of Amberite. I am a Pattern of Plymouth holder myself. We live by the Seven Creeds: Carry the News, Heal the Sick, Take in the Lost, Feed the People, Tell the Tale, Spread the Word, and Persevere. We do what we can. Well, find a place to sleep. I have things to do. I am sure we will talk later."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks surprised as the woman mentions Shadows and Antharis. But hardly thinking it would be impossible she quickly turns her surprise in a smile. She looks at her dragons and nods . "Hm yes we are quite new to eachother. Ended up together in a shadow a few ways back. " Hearing what the Rose Temple is about she nods. "That sounds wonderful. Well happy to help with the extra food. I could tell a tale or two as well and sing, though i am not certain my tales or songs would be fitting. I would love to learn of new tales though." When the Abbot leaves Alex inclines her head again and decides to go about the camp a bit with her three young pseudo dragons playing about. Since she had already some days rest she doesn't particularly feel the need to sleep yet.
Michael James Watson
The camp is efficient and part of that surprises Alex. In a sense its almost roman army like in that everyone in the caravan knows where to put their vardo. Its not a circus exactly, having no animals or acts per se. More like a large extended community with similar ideals. She spends two days with them without seeing more then a passing glimpse of Abbot or Doyen. With the Seven Creeds in mind she meets people who "specialize" in particular ones. People ho know current events, though on this world it seems there are newspapers and radios. There are people like nurses and medics and there are a couple doctors. While each family wagon seems to have some cooking arrangement there are feed wagons that cook community foods for individuals. She finds a group taking inventory on seeds. They seem to collect them wherever they go. During the week they are here they plant seedlings of fruit trees near the waters edge. At night there are camp fires where people talk about the stories for the next town and schedules for who does what. In general they are a friendly people. They seem to know lots of religions but themselves seem to quietly revere the Tosain pantheon though in a manner different then in the Tosain realms.
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex enjoys listening and meeting people, she asks questions about seeds. Perhaps things she didn't know yet and it is always a gift to learn new things. Alex would have brough the fresh and smoked meats to the feed wagons. They may distribute or use it as they see fit. She would have kept some smoked meats for herself and the dragons for along the road. If there is someone knowledgeable in tanning or leather work she will gift the animal skins except one she used herself. Alex is curious about their creeds and pantheon and will ask about it. It is not that she is very into religions but she is curious who they follow. And in what manner.
Michael James Watson
The evening of the second night, Alex is sitting around a fire with a mixture of folk. They are telling tales and talking about them in technicals terms. “How is this story told better? A heroic tale? AN uplifting tale? An educationa; tale? A morality play?” It seems they hone the central theme of each story and find a way to tell it in differant approiaches, then they teach those to eaveryone, allowing the teller to relate it in whatever manner they like. Stories are then told to children to see how they respond. They seem to craft a “children's version” of each story so that if the child is called upon to tell a tale they can tell it with a “child-like” approach. The whole processes of technically disceting tales is interesting and a tad cynical, but the stories are then uniform, except for word choices. The white dragon remain near Alex quietly while the stories are told. The morning of the second day She notices a group of a dozen adult doing what she wold swear is a parkour run like the Elites do. Morning exercise. Out of habit she falls in with them. The leader takes them on a forest run including a lot of tree climbing since there are no mountainous areas nearby. It ends with a lot of tumbling and accrobatics. The dragons delight in flying near Alex and playfully mimicing her movements. The children of the troupe seem to follow the dragons incessantly. They play and the dragons start palying with them. The white lose interest after a short time. When Alex looks for missing dragons she finds the blue one nearly always is near the adult men training in athletics, or doing some work or craft. The red is often where the food is and seems helpful in starting cook fires for scraps. The white is often found where tales are being told and after a couple days finds its way to the book wagon. The librarian of the bookwagon finds herself reading books aloud to the dragon for reasons she does not understand. But she enjoys it immensely. On the third day Alex is asked to help with wagon repair. Her strength is greater then anyone in the convoy. Most of the vehicles she can lift and hold long enough for work to be done. They delight in having her lift wheels one handed. On the 5th day the Abbot seeks her out, asking her to join her in a walk. “The word is you are fitting in well. I've been asked to give you this. There is no obligation to it, but it will help you shadowwalk to find my caravan if you like. It means many of the troupe are pleased to have you with us. But it puts me in an awkward position.”
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex enjoys in her own term the business and the cooperation with the people in the caravan as well. She is curious to see the dragons finding their own way to their interests. Noticing what they like she studies them and in her own time she spends one on one attention with them. She will sing and tell stories to the white one. Curious if it also likes images with the tales she draws when she is telling one of her stories. For the blue one she spends extra time exercising one time more parkour training the other more acrobatics and gymnastics. The red one she takes out hunting now and then together. Letting it really use its fire and showing ways she hunts and thinking of good strategies the red one can hunt using his full potential. Alex probably just returned from one of her time spending with one of her babies. Seeing the Abbott she inclines her head respectfully. She takes the hanger. "Thank you, that is very kind. I would not mind finding you and your group again after our paths have split. But why would it put you in an awkward position? That would be one of the last things i want to happen. Is there something i can do?"
Michael James Watson
She smiles, touches Alex's hand. "Do what you like. There is always something that needs doing. AS for awkward...Its complicated... I can feel your imprint. Amber.. Are you familiar the the Levels of Shade? You do not seem a sorcerer. What it means is that shades of Amber are at certain levels, ranked by a percentage of the True Amber. I can tell that to the best of my knowladge you come from the True Amber.. Plymouth is a squiggle created by the Jewel of Judgment of a Shade of Amber. A 90% shade, but still, not true. In our Shade Amber itself was destroyed. The pattern erased. Plymouth-a squiggle, and York-a full pattern, kept the Shade alive. People in our level of shade can travel shadow below the 90% shade level. Do you understand that so far?"
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex smiles at the woman. Hearing the explanations of squiggles and shades she nods and listens.... When she says she senses Alex is from the True Amber she calmly nods to agree. "Ah yes i follow so far. I migh have read about this but please continue." Alex loves to.figire out what she means and even if she had read it information from person to person is always different
Michael James Watson
"My imprint in Plymouth. It gives me the power to lead my Caravan through many shadows and do a great deal of good. But I can not go higher then 90%. The shadows of the Jeweled Road I can reach are at 90%. This is all well and good. But now...If you travel with us, you could open the way to the level of the true realm for us. Once I am brought to a high level of shade I can reach it for ever more. The Jeweled Ceiling is broken. Part of me wants this desperately. I follow a faith that venerates Tolknor as well as others of his legion. There is a Mercenary company called Clean Halls and Dens that has sold itself almost in its entirety to Amber. But I am not part of CHAD. You ask what you can do? Take me to a shadow, any shadow in your trump deck, and let me breath the air of the True Shadows. I would be in your debt but its likely your kinsman, and your king, will be angered. " "Other then that, you are welcome at our table and our fires for as long as you like. We move in three days to set up in Winnipeg for a month. Now that i have said my peace, i can concentrate on Winnipeg."
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex toys with the hanger in her hand. Clearly overthinking what The Abbott is saying. Would it have been Xandra to ask she would have received a heartfelt no . But she just wants to do good. It might anger kinsman but if they don't know. .. Oh no that would be lying wouldn't it. .. Well the honest answer would be i didn't see harm in it and probably get a lecture or schooling after that. Alex turns her face back into a smile and inclines her head "Thank you for allowing me to stay welcome at your tables. I'll stick around till you move again from there i need to create my own path again i think. " She gives a final warm smile. ((Alex her plan is to draw a temporary location trump of this place. And the night before they leave she wants to take Abbott with her to thr jeweled road.))
Michael James Watson
The morning of Pack Up dawns and the troupe starts waking up and getting ready to strike camp. Alex opens her eyes and finds Scully standing over her, staring down. Seeing she is awake he wanders toward where several animals, horses and goats, are being fed. Alex remembers that Ranger horses of sufficient bonding can Seek in Shadow (Scully is on her sheet now)
Amber Bronkhorst
Alex looks at first surprised but then she is overjoyed seeing her friend Scully there. Seeing her trot off towards the feeding area she laughs and calls after her "You'll meet my newest friends after breakfast!" She then gets up and wakes her three babydragons dangling some freshly hunted meat over their snouts . "Wakey wakey, morning well no eggs or bacon.. but fresh meat should do." She humms happeily as she is gathering her own things. waiting for the dragons to devour their meat, and then with pack and all. And the three babydragons with her she walks over to the camp as it is being packed up. She checks on Scully how he is doing. Then she starts to look for the Abbott.
