Othenguard Conversation

Kane Othenguard was surprised Gonyaul was at his armor shop again this morning, but he definitely heard that unmistakable rhythmic knock. He let the young man in and greeted him. "Welcome back m'boy. You need something?"
Gonyaul nodded, "To ask questions. If time?"

He stood patiently off to the side as the mountain of a man moved back to a work table. Kane was working on chain mail, a tedious and time consuming process.

Kane took a seat. The poor piece of furniture strained as he sat down. "I have time as you can see." He was referring to the work he was doing. He had made so many of these in his lifetime, he could make this in his sleep. In addition, there were no other customers in the shop at the moment. "I'm going to be focusing on this, but go ahead an ask your questions."

Gonyaul was about to talk when Kane interrupted him. "Wait m'boy. Before you start, I just have to know." Kane chuckled, "How did last night go after you left?" He just had to know the outcome to the back and worth entertainment show between Alexis and Gonyaul.

Gonyaul was not expecting to talk about this. He had to switch gears in his mind. "She walk me home."

Kane stopped what he was doing for a second and let out a quick gasping laugh. "Alexis Greyriver gave you a personal escort home?!" He shook his head and kept the rest of his thoughts to himself.

Gonyaul nodded, "Yes?" The young man was not sure what Kane was getting at.

Kane was trying not to keep laughing, he was able to simmer his jovial personality down to a chuckle. "Never mind, never mind...Did she end up taking the shield?"

Gonyaul shook his head in defeat. "Not till we fair trade."

Kane was going to see if he could take it off Gonyaul's hands; however, he didn't press the issue if there was still an arrangement between them regarding the equipment. He noticed Gonyaul's expression, "What are you going to ask for?"

Gonyaul shrugged, "No know." he sighed, frustrated with how the world works sometimes. Why was it so different then what he was raised to be. People cared too much about things, money, image, power. Why was there so much stock in things that don't last?

Kane put in a shameless self promotion, "You could ask her for some armor or some form of protective wear? You know, you start hanging with soldiers and that may become necessary."

Gonyaul confidently corrected the man, "I have clothes suitable for that."

Kane roared to life and brought both hands to his head in disbelief, "Please tell me you are not referring to that DRESS I remember seeing you in the first time we met."

Gonyaul was not sure why the man thought that was so funny, "You mistake. Not dress. is a Arihs ikeburer."

Kane continued working and grinned, "Maybe where you are from, but around here ... that is a dress. Wait, I take that back. Dresses here are tougher than that. You my friend were wearing cotton flower petals." He couldn't help but smile in amusement. Kane's smile was strong, sporting good healthy sets of teeth and holding up a heavy looking mustache.

Gonyaul was going to rebuttal that statement; however, Kane wasn't finished. Kane continued, "But look, you came here for asking questions and I'm getting us way off topic. What do you want to ask?"

Gonyaul switched gears again. It was obvious he wasn't going to convince anyone around here that it wasn't a dress. He still had it, one of the only three possessions he wanted to hold onto. The only reason he didn't wear it was because he thought it would make him stand out and draw unwanted attention from people that could make his life trouble.

Gonyaul was relieved to get to the questions. He knew full well from previous chats with Kane that he had been here since the settlement's second year, so he hoped this was going to prove fruitful. First he took the time to catch Kane up to speed on everything that had taken place and that their little band of detectives had discovered. While he spoke, Kane listened and continued working on the chainmail.

Finally satisfied context had been established, Gonyaul asked, "Have people gone missing like this before? You know and tell me?"

Kane listened to what Gonyaul tried to tell him as best he could. The young man struggled with some of language still. What he was told worried him.

"I came here on the second year. So I've only been in Ostiarium 1 year. When we arrived last Spring the settlement at the time was in a terrible state." He started to recount. "They had only been here for 1 year. They came on the first ships." He told the young man still working on the chain. Gonyaul knew the settlement was only 3 years old.

"When we arrived in early spring, we found that around 100or so of the original settlers had died of starvation. Winter caught them of guard, they had a few skirmishes with the natives and seems like the bodies piled up." His hands kept on working in the delicate chain work. "Some of the survivors told us that the smoke from the funeral pyres darkened the skies for days..."

"Those that survived that winter don't talk much about it. Seems most didn't believe they would live to see the coming Spring." He added. "Some say many disappeared or fled into Arcadia's plains, seeking to escape their fate never to be seen again. Until recently no known Expedition had returned form the interior." He concluded

Kane was not sure he had answered the question. Nor was he sure he could. "I guess what I'm saying son, is people turn up dead or go missing sometimes in Ostiarium." He shrugged.

Gonyaul was silent. He didn't realize things had been that bad. How come he didn't know things were that bad? Was he not paying attention? Not listening? He thought on this for a few moments as Kane was paying more attention to the chainmail now. For the past year he had done a rather good job of distancing and isolating himself from others. He had secluded himself on the farm and busied himself with the work; which after hearing that tale of woe the work he helped with was even more important than he imagined. He avoided coming into town unless unavoidable and tried to stay in the periphery, even to the point of dressing like them to blend in. And on top of that, he spent increasingly more time in the woods, which were apparently dangerous.

He sighed and looked about as drained as Kane did from having to recount those horrors. He whispered “Ihsataw aw inirama om urodia ed, arak ettoyamas usami kagim." Which translates to ~I have been too idle and wandered from kagim.~

Gonyaul spoke up, "Thank you. Sorry for sad words."

Kane was not one to let the mood in the atmosphere sour for long. He cleared his throat and put on a good facade, "Still hope though, things get better each year."

Gonyaul bowed farewell, "You time and attention thanks."

As he was moving to the exit, Kane called out after him, "Look m'boy some advice. Toughen up. You can't be needing an escort home and expect to survive for long in these lands. You are nice, but everyone around here is hard. You aren't careful, you are going to get hurt."

Gonyaul stopped after opening the front door and replied with a smile, "You nice too Kane." He then left and started heading back to the Drunken Hare.

Kane had to take a break. He looked out the front of the shop seeing Gonyaul walk off. He was pretty sure his advice went right over the young man's head. "Poor sap. Probably should have told him to get tough friends instead. That outcome is more realistic."