I see where those terms/descriptions would definitely make sense and be used, especially by a Khr'dun. In fact, I kind of think I may have alluded to something like that in "Khr'a's Awakening" ... Or maybe it's only in my notes, atm... Hmmm...

Either way, I fully approve of and endorse the use of both!

I hadn't thought about it, much, to be honest but, now that I do and given that "tomorrow" would be a holy day for D'hurgen, I'm inclined to think it might be a new moon.

Seems to me a day called "the Burning" might have more impact on a moonless night. *shrugs*

P.S. I'm not 100% sold on that idea, of course, so, if you have something in mind that might require Khr'a's Left Eye to be wide open, feel free to do so.

I just wanna pinch your little cheeks and tousle your hair!

I entertained a Vidarak for HC, myself, but never got too far with the concept because I remembered the Kazari... thought it might be fun to play a character who everyone else thought of as a monster and, so, there was Ch'dau! Gotta say, I think it was a good trade.

Now... if I could get work to back up off me for five minutes, I could maybe get back to writing.

...and, at first, thought; "Well, when did D&D really disappear?"

Then, I actually read it and was like; "Yep! I can see how refreshing D&D for the new generations makes sense..." and then all of the other "subtle points hit me and...

Be ye old school, 3e, or next genm this is a great article, folks! Not a long read, really, but highly recommended.

Thanks for sharing, Tann!

Who doesn't love nerds?

Can't tell you how long I've been anticipating that collab! 

Great post, CTP!!! Bravo!!!

Also - Noted re: Sara's evening plans. I'll be sure to keep those in mind given that Einar's arrival may very well dump something of a tussle in the midst of the Bent Copper... Ch'dau will certainly want to ensure that's all handled before his wife walks into it.

Reralae has added some Aranwen(Sara) bits to the "In Calestra once more" post!

I've updated per her edits so feel free to go give it a re-read!

...we'll find out sooner or later.

Did that bit just for you, kibibi!

No worries, Butterfly! I can easily retcon Ara's coming along and will do so, soon.

The only reason I went ahead with Ch'dau going solo was because I hadn't seen you around in a couple of days and I assumed you might have been busy... Didn't want to pressure you and all that.

I'll get to editing here in just a bit.

...there's a bit of a set-up, I suppose.

Ch'dau has made it to Calestra and will be spending the rest of the afternoon tending to his dealings in the market. Come sundown, he'll make his way to the Bent Copper to meet up with Garion and Evin... and possibly his first encounter with a certain swashbuckling Vidarak?

Also, I see that Rer's on... If you decide that Aranwen will be joining Ch'dau on this trip, after all, Butterfly, just let me know and I'll do a little retcon to that last post.

Midday; 26th Bre Tola; 453 E.R.
The Captain’s Gate; Calestra, Coria

Shrouded in his cloak and cowl against the eyes of others as much as the weather, Ch’dau sighed as the walls of the Trade City rose before him, a breath that carried equal measures of relief and disappointment. Relief that the road was now behind him and disappointment that, at its end, there would be no Aldeaths waiting to welcome him. As he guided the heavily laden wagon toward the city’s eastern entrance, the Kazari reached into his belt, slipped a piece of parchment from under the leather, and, unfolded it. A soft chuckle and happy purring escaped him as he looked at the picture Chora and Danny had drawn of Aranwen and himself and Randel’s words, read to him in Ara’s voice, echoed in his memory.

“I am sorry to have missed you, m’rra’fiki,” he muttered as he carefully refolded the picture and slipped it back into its place, “but I hope that your journey home was safe.” 

Aranwen leaned in beside Ch’dau, giving the Silver Cat a warm embrace, “It’s a journey they’ve taken many times; I’m sure they’re just fine,” She smiled, though inwardly a bit relieved at missing them this time around. Though she looked far better than their first passing by Calestra, she just wasn’t sure how she’d feel around Chora and Danny if she had met them. 

Ch’dau reined the horses in, slowing the wagon to a halt as it came into the shadow of the Captain’s Gate and a pair of sentries emerged from the guardhouse to meet him.

“Ho, there,” the burly human who approached from the right called out, lifting a gloved hand to pat the flanks of one of the horses as he passed, “Welcome to Calestra, travelers. What’s your business beyond the walls on this fine fall day?”

“Trade,” Ch’dau rumbled from the depths of his cowl, “I bring sundries from Rakiim Ironforge in Meadowbrook.”

“Meadowbrook, is it,” the guard queried, peering up at the large figure that sat on the wagon’s bench, “You’ve had quite the journey then, eh?”

“Mm,” Ch’dau nodded, his gaze ticking for an instant to the slender Sylvari guardsman who strolled along the wagon’s left, now, “better than a week.”

“A long journey,” Aranwen agreed, “Thankfully a generally peaceful one,” She added.

The Syl, who looked vaguely familiar to Ch’dau, had lifted a corner of the tarpaulin that covered the wagon-bed and was scrutinizing the payload. “Just what sort of sundries are you bringing,” he asked without looking up at the driver, more intent on his inspection of the cargo.

“Khord-forged locks, hinges, picks, spades, and the like,” Ch’dau answered, producing another piece of parchment from under his belt, “I have a complete inventory written in Master Ironforge’s hand, if you would care to see it.”

“We would,” the human nodded, reaching out a hand to accept the stock list, “Carrying any weapons on you, friends?”

Aranwen shook her head, holding her hands open before her to gesture that she was unarmed.

“I am,” Ch’dau answered, offering over the inventory, “As you said, it is a long journey from Meadowbrook and my wife carries no…”

“Whoa!” The human guard forgot all about the inventory when he caught sight of the massive fur-covered paw that offered it. Rather than accepting the list, his own hand fell to the hilt of the sword at his hip and took a step back. “What in the name of…”

Aranwen held a hand forward, still open palmed, towards the guard, “Relax, and be at ease,” She offered to the man, “Breathe,”

“But what…” the human’s hand remained on his hilt, but it remained undrawn.

“You need not fear,” Aranwen offered with a soothing voice, and she gave a smile, seeing that the human’s hand relaxed a bit on the hilt, though stayed upon the pommel.

At his counterpart’s exclamation, the Syl guard, too, abandoned his inspection of the wagon’s cargo and, his hand going to his own blade, rounded the rear of the cart to see what had so startled the man. As he did, he also caught sight of the silver-furred appendage that still held the manifest… and he heard the heavy sigh that escaped the wagon’s driver at the human’s reaction. A curious expression that might have been read as recognition flitted across the elf’s face, then. “Easy, Evin,” the Syl said, echoing Aranwen in reassuring the human, before tilting his head in an attempt to get a glimpse beyond the shadows of the driver’s cowl, “I believe I may know this one.”

“This one what?” Evin blinked.

The Syl smiled faintly and, showing none of the fear still evident in his partner’s eyes, stepped forward to take the invoice from the alien appendage that offered it. As he did, he at last got a look at the face hidden by the hood and his smile brightened a bit. “Adaron’s ears,” he chuckled softly, “it is you! Ch’dau, isn’t it?”

It was the Kazari’s turn to look confused or, perhaps, surprised. Despite the dumbfounded expression, though, Ch’dau offered a short nod and replied; “It is… Forgive, friend, but… do I know you?”

“We have met, yes,” the Syl grinned, “though I’m not surprised that you don’t remember. It was quite a while ago, at Castle Greymonte. I used to squire for Roddric Cassel…”

Ch’dau’s eyes went wide as the light of recognition sparked behind them. “Garion, yes? You used to bring me food.”

“Yes,” the Syl beamed, pressing a hand to his chest, delighted that the Kazari remembered even that much, “Garion Shalithil!”

Laughing, Garion turned to his partner and, again, waved the man’s hand away from his sword. “Evin, this,” he gestured at the enormous creature sitting on the wagon’s bench, “is Kh’ur Ch’dau; The Silver Cat of Coria. Although... I do not know who your companion is, Ch’dau.”

“Call me Sara,” Aranwen offered, “We were wed in Meadowbrook,” she gave a smile, “It is good to meet someone else who is familiar with Ch’dau.”

“Wed?” Garion’s eyes widened a bit at that, looking back to Ch’dau with a curious gaze.

Evin still blinked in disbelief and gawked at the monster at the wagon’s reins. “You’re kidding,” he breathed, “I didn’t think there was any truth to those tales.”

“Oh,” Garion chuckled, “they’re true, alright. Every one…” He gave the Kazari’s inventory slip a cursory glance, then, and offered it back; “…except for the one that said you were dead, it seems.”

“So it would seem,” the Kazari chuffed, “You are no longer with the Wyverns, then, friend Garion?”

“No,” the Syl shook his head, “no more than you are, I suppose. After what happened to your troop in Sendria, I decided that life as a city guard was a safer choice. How did you ever end up in Meadowbrook? And wed, no less.”

“That is a tale long in the telling,” Ch’dau rumbled, “and I have much to do before the market closes. If it is all the same to you, Garion…”

“Right,” the Syl chuckled, “my apologies. Mayhap you’d do me the honor of letting me buy you a drink at the Bent Copper, later? I would like to hear that long tale.”

“I suppose I can manage that,” the cat-man grinned, “Where is the Bent Copper?”

“Just near the Long Gamble,” Garion offered, waving vaguely in the direction of Shinara’s temple, “Little more than a block past. I’ll see you there after sundown?”

“After sundown,” the Kazari nodded, taking up the reins again, “I will see you then, Garion Shalithil.”

With that, a flick of the reins, and a clipped growling coaxing of the horses, Ch’dau proceeded through the Captain’s Gate and into the bustle of Calestra’s open air market. Behind him, a grinning Sylvari and a gawking Corian strolled back toward the warmth of the guardhouse.

“The Silver Cat of Coria,” Evin repeated, shaking his head as he tugged off his gloves and warmed them, now, over the guard house’s little stove, “Unbelievable!”

“So you have said,” Garion snickered.

“Think I might join you at the Copper, tonight?”

“If you promise not to make a fool of yourself, Evin,” the Syl nodded, “I don’t see why not.”

Gotta love those runaway posts! Well done, Raven! I concur with Bree. It's been too long since we've heard from Cedric. Most definitely worth the wait, though.

And, yeah, as I was pondering my next bit, I read Randel's letter again and realized that I'd probably miss them. It gave me the sads. I'd have Ch'dau write a letter but he can only read/write Kazari.

Edit: Since I haven't heard from her, as yet, I'm going to assume Reralae is occupied with other things at the moment and, as such, Ch'dau will be making his way to Calestra solo.

Just a little precursor, there, to loosen up the brain and fingers and get things underway. Back in a bit with more... perhaps a whoosh forward to Ch'dau (and Ara???) arriving in Calestra or some such?

If Rer's about and feels like "jumping in" before I get the next bit going, by all means, feel free to do so!

P.S. N'do = kazri for "yes"

Dawn; 16^th Bre Tola; 453 E.R.
The Ironforge Smithy, Meadowbrook

As had become the norm, morning found the big Kazari crouched before the forge at Rakiim’s, knocking the ashes free from the banked coals and stoking the fire back to life. Once tongues of yellow-orange flame began to lick themselves free of the embers, Samuel began feeding them smaller hunks of dried and split oak, and worked the bellows until the flames danced higher and caught the kindle. Satisfied that the fire wouldn’t douse itself in his absence, he returned to the woodshed for another, heavier arm-load of wood to fuel the forge. He had just gotten the last of the logs placed and set his foot to the bellows once more when the door from the shop opened and, a steaming mug of kaf in hand, a bleary-eyed Rakiim trudged to his side.

The old Khord stood quietly for a few moments, sipping at his bitter brew and blinking into the forge’s belly as his Kazari apprentice coaxed the fire back to roaring. Then, as the heavy iron door was banged shut and the flames were taken from his sight, Rakiim grunted and squinted up into the cat-man’s eyes. “Marnin’, Sam,” he grumbled over the edge of his mug, “Wha’s the shed lookin’ like?”

“Hmm,” Samuel grunted in reply, rolling his shoulder against the tugging of the stitches his wife had sewn there not a week ago. “There is enough timber there to last the rest of the month,” he rumbled, wiping his paws on the front of his apron and backing away from the forge, “but we should re-stock soon lest you would prefer to do so when it gets colder. Would you like me to go speak to Warrek?”

Rakiim offered a shake of his head and scratched at his beard, then. “Nah,” he said, clomping away from the edge of the forge himself, now, “I’ll go see t’ th’ wood, m’self, a bit later. Got sommat else fer ye t’ tend fer me.”

“And what is that,” Samuel asked, following the old Khord to muddied track of land behind the smithy, “Go to the Lakeshore and fetch you a pitcher of ale for when you finish that piss?”

“Heh,” Rakiim chuckled, “I c’n do tha’, m’self, too, ye fuzzy bastard! Nah, th’ trip I got in mind fer ye’ll take a wee bit longer’n a stroll t’ th’ pub, aye?” With his mug, the curmudgeonly Khord gestured to the wagon that sat parked across the yard; “Got a list o’ shyte I need ye ta load up an’ take ta Calestra, an’ a secon’ list o’ shyte I need ye ta bring back.”

“Calestra?” Samuel chuffed, “That trip will take two weeks, at least. Perhaps longer if…”

“I bloody well know how far Calestra is, Sam,” Rakiim interrupted, “Tha’s th’ whole damn reason I’m havin’ yew go! I’m gettin’ too fargin’ old fer et, m’self, an’ yer th’ apprentice, aye? Et’s wha’ ye bloody signed up fer, innit?”

The growl of protest that welled in the Kazari’s chest died before it reach his throat and escaped the cat-man as a somewhat irritated snort instead. “N’do,” Samuel sighed behind a clipped nod, “I suppose so.”

Something of a scowl flitted across his face, then, and he glanced down at the dwarf. “What of Sara,” he asked, “I cannot just leave her her for a…”

“Bah!” Rakiim spat. “Take yer wife wit’ ye, fer all I care, ef ye c’n pry her away from fussin’ wit’ Mhera’s plants an’ whatno’. Prob’ly’d do ye both a bit o’ good ta get oota here a spell after what ye done ta Simon an’ ‘is crew, aye?”

“I did nothing that…”

“Aye! Aye!” The Khord smirked, cutting off the Kazari’s intended protest. “I know wha’ ye did an’ yew know wha’ ye did, but th’ tales bein’ spun aboot town’re no’ yer’s nor mine, they’re his, ain’t they?”

The Kazari’s turquoise eyes rolled in his head and, this time, the irritated growl didn’t stop in his chest.

“Oi,” Rakiim reached up and patted his apprentice solidly on the back, “I know th’ feelin’, lad. We’re I a decade er two younger, I’d feed th’ bastard ‘is teeth, m’self, as ye ain’t seen fit t’ show yer face a’ th’ pub o’ late. Things bein’ wha’ they are, though…” he shrugged, took another swallow of his kaf, and turned back toward the workshop… “Go home, pack up wha’ ye’ll need, an’ see ta yer missus. She goes wit’ ye an’ I’ll see to it as Simon don’ burn yer fookin’ ‘ouse doon while yer away, aye?”

“I should have killed that monkey and his friends when they asked me to,” Samuel snorted angrily as he stomped along beside the blacksmith.

“Ta hear them tell et, ye did,” Rakiim chortled, “right after ye buggered ‘is wife!”

“K’tomba v’tun’gu,” the Kazari snarled.

“Sounds a lot prettier when ye say et like tha’, lad,” Rakiim laughed, clapping the cat-man on his back, once more, “We get more time an’ ye’ll ‘ave t’ teach me some more o’ tha’ K’zari talk.

Now, get yer fuzzy arse movin’! I’ll have them lists fer ye when ye get back, aye?”

Okay, ladies and gentlemen, I've added CameToPlay to our roster of approved players for the game thread for the purpose of "getting Einar's feet wet" with our little crew.

I have it in mind that Ch'dau will be making a trip to Calestra at Rakiim's request - likely to buy/sell/trade, of course, but haven't decided exactly - and, once there, will have his first encounter with the one-handed Vidarak. 

Rer- Not sure if Ara will want to come along or not, I leave that entirely in your hands. If she does, Ch'dau will, of course, be happy to have her along. If not, I'm sure he'll wonder/worry about her while he's away.

Bree - Aldeath encounter, perhaps? "Uncah Ch'dau broughted us knifes!"

Beautimous!!!

...my first thought was perhaps to have Einar show up in Meadowbrook (where Ch'dau and Aranwen are currently living under the names of Samuel and Sara). Not sure what might bring your swashbuckling rogue to a backwater burg like that, though, and it's clear across the continent from Bayris... although it's probably about a weeks travel from eastern Ertain, so... *shrug*... who knows.

Another thought was to have Ch'dau go on a supply run (he's currently apprenticing with an old Khord (dwarf) blacksmith) or somesuch from Meadowbrook to wherever and, perhaps run into Einar somewhere along the way.

We enjoy having you around.

As I said when I originally read it via PM; I love the concept and am very interested to see how he and Ch'dau get along.

I noticed that you mentioned  encounters with several mecenary companies in your writing here, too. Given that Ch'dau is a former mercenary with the Silver Wyverns, I think it may be possible that he's encountered Vidarak raiders before. Not sure that he'd have encountered Einar, himself, but I'd say ol' fuzz-face has definitely had some dealings with his folk somewhere along the line. There's probably some RP fodder in there, somewhere. 

Random, possibly related question - where on Antaron do you imagine that Einar might be between the ending of the original Hidden Corruption and the beginning of HC2? I might have an idea or two, if you're looking to get some RP with Einar under your belt before  the new game kicks off.

How are ya now?

Good an' you?

Not s'bad!

I know... I'm terrible! I need to get a post wrapped up. I'll get on that ASAP. My apologies!

I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about.

I mean, all he's gotta do is read back a few posts and he'll see that it's all Brom's fault.

Eol started it...

Hehehe... looks like Ch'dau isn't the only one getting spritzed!