Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Wed May 23, 2018 12:39 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana had fallen completely asleep. It wasn’t terribly hard. She was used to terrible or lack of beds. It seemed that she was having a fine dream since she wasn’t moving and her expression in her sleep was calm. But that was furthest from the truth.

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Tristana opened her eyes. She was walking in a long empty hallway where the walls were covered with black crystals. The floor was a grey marble. There weren’t any windows, doors, or any lights. Just one hallway leading forwards into darkness. Tristana continued walking and searched for something. Any sign of life or escape from this dark cold place. She could hear the sound of her own footsteps echo around the hall. Emphasizing her isolation. However she came to the end of the long hallway. In front of her was a black ice covered door that had symbols on the door underneath the ice. However the ice was too thick for her to see or even understand what the symbols were. She touched the door’s handle and pulled as hard as she could. It was frozen shut. Panic rose in Tristana’s heart. It wouldn’t open. Was she going to be trapped here? Without anyone to talk to or any way of living? Tristana grabbed the door and pulled with all her might but it was no use. The door refused to budge. Then she could hear the sounds of somebody else. Someone else was here! Her heart felt a sudden amount of comfort. She wouldn’t be alone anymore. Her eyes gazed upon the face of somebody she once knew. A man she once knew as an uncle. Ugly. Those words came to her mind. That is what she was known as. Ugly. Dead eye. Hideous. A beast. Nobody would love her. Or care. She was alone. Forever. Then the nightmare began to fade. The world around her began to fade into white. Suddenly in the far distance were two figures standing and seemingly talking to each other. Then the figure on the left vanished, leaving the figure on the right alone. When Tristana tried to run up to this person they faded away. Tristana then looked at the ground. The ground had transformed into grass and right where she was looking was a single blue rose. Then the rose began to glow with a blinding light.
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Suddenly Tristana awoke with a start. She quickly realized that she was inside a tent and the night’s memories came flooding back to her. Tristana had met a new friend who gave her a tent to sleep in. Which was incredibly kind of him. She hoped that she had remembered to thank him earlier. Tristana then left the tent to see Delanac already set up breakfast. It spelled delicious! Of course Delanac was the one who cooked it. Obviously it would be wonderful. She sat with the other two ready to eat. Although she had little manners even she knew that she should probably greet them.

“Good morning!” Tristana said with a cheerful smile, “Breakfast looks amazing!”

The food smelled so good and she was ready to dig in. Instead she waited for the others to start first. Since they were waiting she didn’t know exactly what they were waiting for. Perhaps it was some sort of ritual. That’s why she decided to wait until Delanac and Bran began eating. That way she wouldn’t interrupt the ritual. Tristana could remember the dream she had last night but she decided to push it to the back of her mind. It wasn’t important and wouldn't bring any good. So it seemed better to forget it entirely. Besides she needed to ask Delanac an important question.

“Delanac?” She asked, “Would it be alright if I could come with you? I won’t take up much space or anything. Besides I’m also skilled in magic so I could help you guys. I’m headed to Adeluna as well so it might be safer for us if we stuck together as a group. If that’s ok.”

In truth Tristana had no idea if Delanac would even want to go along with her plan. So far she hadn’t proven she was useful at all yet. All she’s done was show off a bit of magic. Yet she had little knowledge on how to set up tents and how to do things like cook or clean. Even physical fighting is something she knows nothing about. However when it came to magic, she knew quite a bit. She wasn’t an expert but she knew enough to be able to give her an advantage in a fight. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Fri May 18, 2018 5:45 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Delanac came back with a bundle of dry tinder, and went to work setting up a good-sized fire. The fast-burning grass went first, then once the flames were going he added dry sticks and twigs. Soon the bark pieces and dry wood were in, and it was burning bright like a brick oven. There was still plenty in case he needed to top the pile off. No use in throwing it all in now. While he still had time, he used the heated water and bristle brush to scrap and scrub the pot and bowls clean. The dirty water was poured a ways from the camp, to avoid any muddy surprises come morning. Dusk had arrived, and Delanac took up his turn to keep watch. With his spear in hand, he sat outside the tent, with Bran at his side.

Come tomorrow morning, he'd pack up and head down to Adeluna. Maybe he'd run into his old friend Rufus down at the docks, and catch up. It'd been a whole year since he'd seen the sea captain, and his candy-colored caravel. His next destination was what got him thinking. He'd whittled his choices down to either Nisshoki or Abed. Learning foreign cuisine was something he wanted to know, and seafood was one area he still needed practice. Maybe he could even learn how to make noodles, and other delicacies locals were famous for. He still had a lot left on his list, and he wondered if he had enough time to get it all down. It was daunting, but he couldn't stop now. He and his family were never the folk to drop things halfway.

Night passed quickly, and he dozed off in the last few hours. Waking up with Bran licking at his face, the orc stretched and yawned. "You're hungry, aren't you Bran? Hold your horses and I'll fix us up something." Checking his supplies, he found some flour, cheese, hardtack biscuits, dried herbs, and the dried apples Tristana had given him the day before. Crossing his arms he tried to think. There wasn't much, honestly. But maybe he'd find a way to make it taste good. These were the sort of challenges he'd have to learn to work with as a chef if he was holding himself true to his word.

With a bit of water, he got the flour mixed to make a basic dough. The cheese he crumbled down fine and tossed in, hoping the fats from it would help hold it all together. The hardtack didn't have much flavor aside from salt so he broke off and pulverized some to taste. The dried apples were soaked in clean water, then diced. Along with the dried herbs, it was put into the mixture. Heating up a pan with the fire, he poured his batter in. The hot, seasoned metal sizzled when it made contact, and he could smell the cheese crumbled in starting to melt down. He waited for a few minutes, watching to make sure it didn't burn. Then, he flipped it over and did the same for the other side. He repeated this a few more times until all the batter was turned into cakes.

Looking at his handiwork, Delanac was proper proud of it. They were still hot, so he had to keep Bran from gobbling them all. He waited for Tristana to wake up so they could all eat together. His ma and pa taught them to all that you weren't allowed to eat until everybody was here, and for a boy in a family of several little ones it was hard to hold by. But as he got older, he understood. It wasn't the same if they all weren't there, and that way everyone could eat as a family.

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 10:45 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana was slightly embarrassed when Delanac noticed her using magic for cleaning herself up. It was a small spell that she had learned from an old man and practiced during her travels. In fact that spell specifically had aided her when she was in a bit of trouble. However she didn't really need to bring that story up at the moment. Instead she watched as Delanac put water in the pot to let it soak. Tristana quickly realized that she probably needed to do the same thing for her bowl. So she put waters in hers as well and put the bowl down. Then she returned to her seat. She listened to Delanac as he explained his reasoning for not opening up a grand bakery or store. Instead he wanted to open up a place so that the people at his home would experience the delight of foods. Delanac seemed to want to prove to his father and everybody else that he could master in the art of cooking. Yet it seemed that wasn't the only thing he wanted to do. He wanted to bring an understanding of cooking to a place that had apparently little for good food. So instead of bringing his talents to a place that didn't need it, he was bringing it to a place he knew well that did need it. Or at least he would once he was ready. 

"I see." Tristana said with an understanding tone, "That's admirable." 

Tristana didn't have the exact words in mind to describe what she meant. So she hoped the few words she did say would get the message across. That she was entirely impressed and in awe. He then spoke about his father and the way that they both were people of action rather than word. Which made sense. Now more than ever Tristana wanted to help him in any way she could. After all it wasn't everyday that you met somebody who had as much passion about a skill or learning as much as he did. Delanac's heart was obviously set on cooking and Tristana couldn't help but wish she could make sure that he was able to get to complete his goal. But she wasn't that amazing or strong to do that. Then an idea formed in her head. What if she asked the gods to help him? That would probably be a good idea that she would need to do later. She kept that thought for later as Delanac talked about the tent. She was allowed to sleep there? That was incredibly nice of him. And sleeping in a tent was a lot better than a hole in the ground. 

"Thanks!" Tristana said with a cheerful smile. 

Tristana then watched as Delanac began to leave to get more firewood. She then stood up and went over to their bowls and cleaned them out. She used her water magic spell and made droplets of water splash over and over on the bowls until they were clean. She got only a little wet but she wasn't too concerned about that. Then Tristana put the bowls in a stack and set them back on the ground. Finally she looked around on the ground and found a little seed of a flower she was familiar with. Marigold. She then used one of her spells and made the flower grow full grown with her Botanical Growth spell. The flower was beautiful and tristana let it be so that it could make the area that much nicer. Then she went into the tent and set out a blanket then flopped down onto the blanket. It was time to sleep. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Wed May 16, 2018 7:59 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Delanac watched as Tristana ate, and noted her table manners. He wondered how she'd grown up, and what kind of place it was. Must've been a small town. It was just a hunch of his. But aside from that, he was glad to see she liked the food so much. What really made him raise a brow was how that water floated out of the canteen, as if something invisible was holding it. Letting out a whistle, he couldn't help but be amazed. Then Tristana asked something he'd heard many times over, from the Broederbunds and others. "Why haven't you opened up a bakery or a food selling place?" Swallowing his last bit of food, he scraped the pot clean and set some water in to soak the dried bits off.

Sitting back down, he crossed his arms with a sigh. "I could, I know that well I do. But y'see, when I left home I didn't take my pa's challenge just to be another butcher or baker. I want to go back to Yovaesh, back home–and open up a place that'll make people think about food in a new light. If I want to prove to my pa I'm just as much an artisan with food as he is with metal, I need to learn all I can until I've mastered it." Leaning back, he looked up as the clouds were almost gone. "After I stop by Adeluna, I'm thinking of taken a ship to Parvpora again. Maybe this time I'll try someplace different, like Baltil or Nisshoki. I can't just rest on my laurels because I know how to do a few things well. That'd give my old man an easy win."

With a grin, he continued. "Even if I haven't seen him in years, I'm still not letting myself lose! I said I'd show him, and I intend to follow through. That's how things are in my family. We're more of a 'show, don't just tell' kind of folk. He's a man of his word, and so am I. I'll be packing up to head down south come tomorrow morning. Better start the fire before it gets dark." With a whistle, Bran's ears perked up and he got up with his tail wagging. "Come on Bran, let's find some kindling to keep things warm. Come evening the air'll cool down a spell. It'll keep away the beasties too, it will." Before he left, he motioned to the pitched tent. "You can sleep inside tonight, Tristana. Bran and I'll take turns keeping watch." With a wave, he and his dog went to gather more firewood before the last hours of twilight descended on the plains. 

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 6:04 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana then crawled over to where Bran was and began to pet the cute dog. She then listened to Delanac as he began to speak about where he was headed. When he said Adeluna, a smile crossed her face. That's where she was headed. Perhaps the orc wouldn't mind if Tristana tagged along. He then started speaking about Vilpamolan and how terrible it was. So Tristana quickly decided that she wouldn't go there unless she had to. Why would she need to go there anyway? She didn't know anybody who was a criminal. There was no reason for her to go there. 

"I don't have any plans on going to Vilpamolan." Tristana said, "It doesn't sound like a nice place." 

She was curious about how that place had gotten so bad. Tristana probably wouldn't go there but she was curious about it's history. Of course she was naturally curious about Adeluna too and some of the other countries in Canelux. She then was handed a new dish and took it. The dish smelled delicious and quickly Tristana began eating. Her manners were very poor. To say the least. She took the bowl and ate directly from it. Basically she poured parts of it's contents into her mouth and began chewing. The vegetables gave the rarebit a kick and she loved it. Eventually all the food in her bowl was gone and she finished it by licking the bowl clean. She then opened her canteen and drank some water. Then she held out her hand above her canteen and began using some magic. Suddenly a small stream of water flew out of the canteen and was being directed by Tristana's hand. Then Tristana made a hand motion directed at her face and the water hit her face. She stopped using magic and cleaned off her face with her sleeve. Now she wouldn't have to worry about her face being dirty. Tristana then continued listening to Delanac as he spoke about food. She had never heard of a halfling or Broederbunds. 

"You've been traveling for three years. That's amazing!" Tristana said, "You've been working at being a chef for three whole years! I've never seen anybody so dedicated to anything. Why haven't you opened up a bakery or a food selling place?" 

Tristana didn't understand why Delanac hadn't opened up a place to sell his food. Was it because he didn't feel comfortable with his cooking ability yet? Or was it because he didn't have the resources? Did he even want that? She assumed he would since that way he would be able to share his talent in cooking. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Sun May 13, 2018 1:54 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

The food was ready, and he could smell the cheese was warm. Taking out fresh bowls, he started scooping up the vegetable rarebit. Bran was asleep now, all tuckered out from his running. The warm afternoon sun was cooling down and soon dusk would be approaching. While he was setting the table–so to speak–Tristana asked him what plans he had after he was done out here. "Well, I guess I could swing by Adeluna. Been a while since I had a hot meal made by someone than myself. Vilpamolan's too much of a bother for my tastes, pity they have such good seafood there. But that's no excuse to go where you'd get robbed right off the boat. Take it from me Tristana, ye don't want any business with the southeast side of Canelux. Vilpamolan's full of pirates and all the kind of folk your family tells ye not to stand next to. Lots of bad eggs in a single leaky basket."

Delanac wasn't one to speak badly of people, but he felt he had to at least let the girl know. Nothing good came from going there, as his old friend Rufus said. If even salty seadogs weren't keen on staying, then it was best to take it as a fair warning. He handed her the new dish they had thanks to Bran's sharp nose and digging, and sat down to take a bite. He raised his eyebrows in surprise. The horseradish gave it a kick, bringing up a flavor over the cheese's initial savoriness. The parsley and celery root made it taste a bit lighter but not in a bad way. Here he thought the vegetables would water the rarebit down, but he was glad he was wrong. It reminded him almost of a soup he had back in Komiteia where they melted cheese into it. 

"This brings back memories, just like when I was working at the Broederbunds. Best hard cheese and sausage I'd ever eaten. The halflings know how to make anything taste good, I'll be ye that." Now he thought of it, maybe he should stop by to say hello. It had been a while since he left the delicatessen to continue his culinary studies. There were so many other places he still needed to see and learn from, so many different techniques and flavors he 'd yet to know. He'd gotten a taste of most of Canelux so far save for Egjora and beyond, and he had a few places on his list. Counting on his fingers he looked up at the sky thoughtfully. "…Three years. Time flies, it does. And I've still just scratched the surface of it all."

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Fri May 4, 2018 11:30 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana handed the horseradish back then made sure everything she had was in her backpack. After a quick check she followed Delanac over to the camp area and sat down at the log she had been at earlier. Then Tristana listened to every word that the orc had said. She silently admired the way he seemed to know all about cooking and food. His movements were direct and full of purpose. It was obvious that he had a huge talent in cooking and it seemed to Tristana that he was already an expert cook. Of course Tristana hadn't really watched anybody prepare a meal so she was hardly an expert about such things. Still how Delanac was able to know so much about something he was so passionate about was truly admirable. Tristana had decided. She didn't know how much she could do, but as much as she could, she wanted to help Delanac achieve his dream. Perhaps she would need to see the temple of luck and find some way to get him some luck on helping him to get his dream. That was actually a good idea. She would have to figure out where the temple was and what was required for the journey. However Tristana could figure stuff like that out later. For now she took the parsley and sniffed it. Tristana quickly got out her journal and began drawing it. Then she labeled it and wrote down all the things that Delanac mentioned about the fascinating herb. Once she was done she put away her journal and returned the parsley. 

"Where do you plan on going now?" Tristana asked curiously. 

She secretly hoped that he would be headed to Adeluna so that they could travel together. Yet something made her feel as if that wouldn't happen. He seemed pretty attached to his home so it was likely that he would stick around to the areas he knew best. But Tristana couldn't be certain. He had mentioned earlier that he did travel a lot so there was a good chance but it was too…improbable. Which was really a shame since Tristana enjoyed his company and his cooking. But she had no intention on begging him to come with her. After all he had his own life and his own goals to work with. Tristana would offer to go with Delanac wherever he was planning on going but she had to continue her own search. Her eyes glanced down the road and she couldn't help but wonder where it would end up taking her. This was something that had been on her mind recently. Because inevitable she would end up changing. But, she didn't know if that was a good thing or not. Only a god would be able to predict what would come to her in the future and even then most gods do not. Would she end up a completely different person? Tristana feared that there might come a time where she would be unrecognizable to even herself. What would it have been like if she had decided to stay in the cabin? Would it have been better? Safer? Tristana decided to push those thoughts aside. It was too late to wonder about what might have been. She was here now and she was determined to move forwards, no matter what. She made herself refocus back on Delanac. The road ahead would be dangerous for the both of them it seemed. However Tristana was here in the present and it seemed wiser to focus on the here and now instead of worrying about the future. Tristana could smell the delicious food that Delanac was creating and couldn't help but smile. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Fri May 4, 2018 12:19 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

"Hold your horses there! We'll get to that in a bit. I have a bit of dried parsley flakes somewhere, so I'll let you try that once we get this meal started!" Now was what he enjoyed the most–showing someone the fruits of his endeavors. Taking the horseradish back, he began washing it along with the bulbous celery root. Once it was clean, he took out a small knife and started to prepare the root vegetables. Peeling the celery root with care, he had learned how to avoid taking off more than the skin. Slicing the root, he then turned to julienne and then dice it. Peeling the horseradish, he instead chose to cut it into very thin slivers. It was still strong, even if it wasn't as much as the celery root. There was leftover rarebit, so he poured a bit of water into the pot to give some moisture. Pouring in the vegetables, he sprinkled a pinch of parsley flakes and stirred. 

"There we are, give it a bubble or two and we'll have ourselves something more than just cheese. Oh, almost forgot. Here, try smelling them first before tasting." Putting a few leaves of dried parsley in his hand, they were dark green with rounded edges. Delanac would put these pieces into Tristana's hand to let her learn more about the flavors and scents of dried herbs. "Parsley's proper common for an herb. Much cheaper to get than say pepper or them fancy spices. Just raw peppercorns themselves cost a pretty penny. At least a bag of silver just for less than a handful." That was one of the struggles of being a chef–expensive ingredients, or ones that just were rare to find. Salt wasn't cheap either, and he had found that there were places that mined salt where it was worth it's weight in gold. Some places had salt dried out from evaporated seawater, and in those places it cost less. He'd learned to be more grateful for food in general, especially when it tasted wonderful.

Things like parsley, sage, thyme, garlic, and rosemary were what you could grow almost anywhere. Different places in the world had even more variety, like the thin spicy peppers in Karith or the green stubby ones from Nisshoki that packed a punch. Abed was the capital of exotic spice, and their famous dish–curry–used it liberally. There were so many variations of the same cuisine in their native lands of origin, and those little differences made each recipe special. No two brewmasters made the same ale, just as no two chefs had the same cooking style. Delanac wasn't quite at the point where he could call himself one proper, but he was working on it. He liked almost everything, and thinking of what he was best at was difficult to pin down. 

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Sat Apr 28, 2018 9:23 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana listened to Delanac as he spoke about recipes. She could clearly hear his passion about cooking and could feel a twinge of jealousy in her heart. To be able to find his passion and for it to seem so clear. He had a clear future and a clear goal. It seemed that he certain about cooking. As sure as the sky was blue or the dirt brown. Yet Tristana herself could only dream of that kind of clarity. It was as if he was seeing a clear sky it seemed and she was looking at nothing but clouds. Tristana knew that she would love to have that kind of future. Her future felt, unsure. She didn't have a certain thing she adored doing. Heck, she had barely even explored any of this world and knew barely anything about it. But here was a person who knew exactly what they wanted and how to get it. How did he even get like this? Did he know what he was meant to do since a child or was this something to be learned? She had no idea.

Tristana walked with Delanac as these thoughts swirled around in her mind. Eventually they came across the patch where the little black dog had retrieved the root from. She reached down and touched the dirt. As if she was inspecting it and exploring every aspect of it. She even sniffed it to see what it would smell like. Of course she had the sense to not eat it. Then she realised the dirt back to the ground from where it came. Tristana had seen dirt of course before but she wanted to see this dirt properly. It was damper than the dirt she had mostly traveled on. So therefore it was unique. Then she looked up at the scraggly tree. It was one she had not seen or at least noticed before. So she grabbed her notebook out of her backpack. Then she grabbed her pen and drew a picture of the tree. That way she wouldn't forget it. While she was at it she decided to make a quick sketch of Delanac as he inspected a root he had pulled out of the ground. Then she stopped and received the horseradish that Delanac had given her. 

The horseradish root was long and pale but the leaves were red and green. It looked amazing to Tristana and quickly she drew the horseradish, named it, and listened to Delanac as he spoke about it's taste. She also wrote this down in her journal along with the other stuff. Then she put down her journal and inspected the horseradish herself with great curiosity. Then she reached into her backpack and took out a whetstone. Then she used the whetstone to scrap off a small chunk of the horse radish. It was about the size of a pebble. Then she opened her mouth and threw the small chunk of horseradish into her mouth. After chewing it for a few seconds Tristana realized how strange it tasted. It was bitter but also almost spicy. Although she couldn't describe it in those words since she had never really had spice before. She made some funny faces as she finished eating it. 

"I've… never tasted anything like it!" Tristana said, "Although I bet it'll taste better not all by itself. But I'll let you be the expert of that. Oh, and what does celery taste like? For that matter what does parsley taste like?" 

Growing up her daily intake of food was boring oatmeal with no flavor or anything added. It was the cheapest and the most common oats in addition to that. So tasting something like this horseradish was different. Tristana was excited to taste something else that was different. Since many different things were interesting. But she wished that she had waited on eating that horseradish until Delanac had added it with something. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 10:48 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

"Already been doing that, mun. And it's not just recipes I'm looking for–there's a whole other art of making some ingredients straight from scratch. Like curing hams, sausages, baking bread, and smoking fish. I'm looking to learn how to make my own ale soon, but that'll be a bigger hurdle to cross than most." He had been thinking about it for a while now, but the process for fermenting alcohol was a bit more personal to brewers than hanging sausages at a butcher's. There were things he wasn't familiar with, and Delanac wagered an alchemist might have better success picking things up than him. He only had his background as a smith to go on, and that gave him a head start with roasting food. But brewing was a very detailed thing, and wasn't as easy to keep controlled right. He didn't worry himself over it though, he figured he'd learn in time.

Following the dog, they stumbled upon a patch with overturned soil. This was where Bran found the celery root, a lucky find that it was. This spot was in the shade of a scraggly tree, and the dirt was more moist than the rest. Kneeling close to the ground, he inspected what else was here. A pall of thin, long tap roots with reddish green stems were partially unearthed from the jackal's previous search. Taking one, he carefully sniffed the leaves and root–turning his head to cough a bit when the pungency took him by surprise. "Whew! Little root here packs a punch, it does! Though we found ourselves some parsnips when they were just horseradish. Might as well take them along." No wonder these were left alone. Horseradish had a bite to it that would make any grazer give it a second thought. But this was another treat after going off garlic and onions for so long.

He handed one of the young horseradish roots to Tristana. "Here, take a good look. Try scraping a bit of skin off and smelling it too. Not many roots out here can be eaten, and there's no harm in knowing which ones are edible for certain. Oh, but careful–this one's got a bit of a sting. Some folks don't like it much, but it's an acquired taste." With the rest of the edibles gathered up, he brushed as much soil out of them as he could. "Bran brought back a nice big celery root when he came running. The bottom looks like a knob of roots and hefts like a rock, but it tastes better than it looks. The flavor's a mix of celery and parsley." Today's supper would be one of the best he and Bran'd have in a long while. And they had company, too. Soon they'd have to find themselves a town to restock and rest before heading back to the Highlands.

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:29 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana was grateful that Delanac didn't mention her face or even ask about it. She tucked a strand of her hair back underneath her hood then began to listen to him as he spoke. Delanac seemed slightly uncomfortable at answering her question which caused Tristana to wonder if she should have asked at all. To her surprise he began to answer her question. She listened intently as she leaned forwards a bit to hear him better. As if he was telling her some sort of secret. He mentioned his father was a blacksmith. So logically that must have meant he had a dream in blacksmithing. But then he went on to tell her that he wanted to be a chef. And the fact that his father just didn't see eye to eye. As he spoke Tristana nodded politely and clearly showed sympathy when he spoke about the argument with his father. She could see how much his father meant to Delanac. Tristana had an excited smile on her face. 

"I think your dream is amazing! I didn't see it coming but then again i've never met you before." She said encouragingly , "But I'll bet that you'll become an amazing chef. I mean more than you already are. Your food is incredible. I've never taste anything like it. Once you return back home I'm certain that you're father will be so impressed that he'll make you a cooking pot himself. So do you plan on traveling to figure out different recipes?" 

She then was interrupted by the beautiful black dog running back with some sort of plant in it's mouth. Tristana watched as Delanac stood up and walked over to the dog. After taking it he seemed to be examining the plant which was utterly fascinating to Tristana. Especially since grass and trees and some herbs were the only plants she knew about. When it came to cooking plants she knew utterly nothing. As usual. Apparently whatever the plant was, it seemed edible. Judging by Delanac's reaction it seemed it was also delicious too. She then stood up and picked up the plant after the orc had placed it down. Tristana looked at it's leafs and stem herself before putting it back down. She then turned to Delanac as he spoke to her. He was asking her to come along. 

"Of course I want to come." Tristana declared enthusiastically, "I want to see them too. And you can tell me all about them. I mean if you don't mind that is." 

She then stood next to the dog ready to go see these strange plants with them. Tristana certainly had enough enthusiasm for everything it seemed. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Sun Apr 15, 2018 4:51 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

When she asked him about his dream, he rubbed the back of his neck, a bit embarrassed. "Ah it's not much. Nothing grand, I tell you. Even if I've been going on about it, it still makes me red in the face saying it." This was the first time he'd told somebody about it, and the first time anybody had asked. There wasn't anything wrong about it, so might as well get it off his chest. "Back before I found Bran, I used to work the family smithy in Yovaesh. My pa wanted me to keep the business going, and I'd been firing metal and working with it since I can remember. One day I wanted to head out on my own, become a chef. My pa and I didn't see eye to eye, so I told him I'd prove myself an artisan in my own right." He sighed, looking up. "Been years since I've went back home. After that spat between us, it's not like I could just come on back without expecting to deliver, you see. In other words, I'll need to learn everything there is to know about cooking to show my old man that it's a craft just as much as being a blacksmith."

Crossing his arms, he let the words sink in. That was the long and short of it, really. Carric Ironbrow was a man of his word, and there was no way he'd be convinced with a half-baked effort. Delanac knew that he wasn't quite ready to show what he had learned, and had been gradually compiling methods and recipes for all sorts of foods. His pa might not be a food critic, but he had a keen eye for quality. The most important thing was to know the processes inside-out, and to make something that'd knock the knickers off of him on the first go. "Bet you weren't expecting something like that, were you?" Giving a grin, he wasn't sure how would Tristana would react. When people looked at him they had a laugh when he asked them about how to cook things. He'd gotten used to it by now. 

The way the girl carefully put back on her hood told him he'd made the right choice in keeping mum about her eye. If she wanted to talk about it, best let her speak up for herself. The sound of scuttling paws came over as the jet-black jackal returned with a mouthful of roots. He'd found a big knobby one, with the stems and leaves still attached. "What've you got there, boy? It's a big one, that it is." Carefully scratching the skin, he took a whiff. Examining the remainder of the leaves and stems, he broke one and inspected the liquid it produced. No milky sap, the smell wasn't like almond, the leaves weren't in threes or resembled dill. Smelling the leaves, he raised his eyebrows in surprise. The scent…wasn't this like celery? "Hmm. Looks like we'll have something to go with the onions for supper." Setting it down to wash and peel later, he scratched the dog's ears. "You've done it this time, Bran! If you find any more of these, bring 'em back and I'll give you another helping of rarebit." 

The dog's ears perked up and he barked in joy, tail wagging quickly like grass in a storm. He ran off again, and Delanac stood up to watch which direction he went. "Mind waiting here a minute, Miss Tristana? Bran's found himself a prize." Pausing, he then added: "–Or you can even come along and see, if you'd like."

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 8:55 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana listened to Delanac as he spoke about the dogs. Poor things, they must have had a terrible life. Her eyes glanced to Bran and could only wonder if that sort of thing had happened to the poor animal and that Delanac was able to save the dog. Perhaps.

“It’s terrible.” She commented not really knowing what else to say. 

Tristana listened to Delanac as he went on about the birds. He had pointed some things that she hadn't noticed before. Especially about the birds. She had never known why the birds made the nests but now with this new information, it made so much more sense. She had wide eyes as she listened about how birds went on through the year. It made sense but also had a wonder about it. Tristana couldn't help but smile. She then listened as he began to speak about his own journey. It was clear that he had traveled a far lot longer than she had. Which meant he probably had a lot more experience than her too. Which was good since he had, or so she assumed, been out more than she had. It would be strange for them to be on the same level. Then he mentioned his dream and her eyes lit up with pure curiosity. 

"Your dream?" Tristana asked, "If you don't mind my asking, what is your dream? I would really like to know." 

She herself had a dream that she was traveling to follow. It seemed that he also travelled for a little bit. Perhaps, if they were lucky, they could travel together. The orc seemed very nice and friendly. Not to mention a great cook and he had an adorable dog. Besides, she was actually genuinely interested about his dream. Tristana then spotted the dog as it ran around and played. She was glad that the dog was so sweet. Tristana was also glad that not all dogs were just waiting to kill her. She was discovering that most animals and things that existed in the world was not out to kill her. Which was rather odd considering that was what she had been told her entire life. Tristana could only wonder what the rest of the world was really like. Perhaps after she achieved her goal she could explore more of the world and learn more about it. Even if there was danger, death, and despair. It still seemed worth knowing to her. 

Tristana then finally realized that her hood had fallen down. Moments of panic flashed through her as she tried to keep a straight face. Was he going to kill her now that he saw how ugly she was? He wasn't moving. Of course he wouldn't do that. He was so nice. But then again that also might be a trick. Tristana then felt guilty for questioning his kindness just because of her mistake. Tristana did her best to keep her emotions hidden and tried to subtly pull the hood back over her head. She managed to do so as subtly as she could and felt a little less panicked. However Tristana did not want to mention her face. After all there was a chance he hadn't noticed. If that was the case then she had no reason to worry. And even if he did notice, then why didn't he do something about it as soon as he saw what she really looked like. Nevine had been proved so far to be a liar about many things. This had to be another of his lies. The best thing she could possibly do was to ignore it and move on. Focus on listening to Delanac was much easier then mentioning or thinking about what just happened. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2018 4:29 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

The girl ate like she hadn't had a decent meal in ages. Poor thing must've been doing her best to get by all on her own. She then asked him something rather surprising, wondering if it was odd for dogs to take a shine to people instead of attacking whoever got close. "I don't know what experiences you've had with dogs, Miss Tristana–but as far as I know, most animals give us upright walkers a wide berth, they do. They don't normally become ornery unless you're making them feel scared, or you've been unlucky enough to get between a mum and their littlies. Even so, a scared dog would rather make a break for it than bite if they can help it. Now there's some folks who teach their dogs to bite just like you said; nasty pieces of work they are. In those cases the dogs aren't much better off than the victims too." He shook his head at the humanity of it all. Only somebody with a heart blacker than jet could think to hurt an animal and force them to think anybody wanted to hurt them. That was why those dogs were mad as they came to be. 

Bran yawned and went to trot around the camp, chasing after sparrows that flew down to peck at the ground in between clumps of grass. His owner continued to talk with the girl, resting as the sun passed overhead. Listening to her recount her travels, the orc nodded. "Oh so you've been wandering here and there, looks like. There's plenty of forests, so I can't make heads or tails of where you might've come from." She then mentioned someone called 'Zanar', a name he hadn't heard before. "Can't say, miss. I've never heard of him, mun. I'd take it that most fortresses have paths, so people can see where to go. But I've never seen the one you've mentioned." The world was a wide place, and the wilds were vast as they were beautiful. Even when he thought he knew the plains and countryside well, there were always new little nooks and crannies to discover, and hidden spots that he'd never seen the first time around. 

They sat in the sun, with the calm breezes of the plains brushing by. She began to talk more, not about herself directly, but about things she saw and liked. Watching the birds and bugs do their work was always a nice way to pass the time out here where you had the land below and open sky above. Away from the cities and towns, you could finally look up and watch the clouds drift on, and the stars twinkle at night. "Can't disagree with you there. They're always going about their business without a care in the world. But they have some sense to it, too. If you look, you'll see the birds make their houses in Terra, get settled in proper by Ignius, and be watching their littlies head out on their own by Venti. Then they pack their bags, fly to somewhere warmer, and come back when Glaciem's over." As they chatted the girl's hood fell down, and when she turned to ask him another question he was taken aback by her face. "Oh…" He did his best not to bring it up, else he make the girl feel upset. Twas a nasty looking scar, and an old one too. Looking at the other half, one time both sides must've looked the same. She was young, and her good eye was still pretty as a gemstone. 

When she asked him if all dogs were mean and ornery, he'd thought she'd never seen one before. But looking at her face and putting that with her words together, Delanac started thinking she might've been living no better than Bran. Did somebody do that to her? Oh right, he still had a question to answer. Clearing his throat, he crossed his arms as he looked at the sky. "How many times you say? That's got to be more than I can count on both hands. I've been walking for years now. Some days it's tougher than others, but I told myself I'd keep at it until I achieved my dream. I still have a ways to go though, but you can't rush things like that." He had left his family back in Yovaesh to prove to his pa that people who prepared food were artisans too. So far he'd learned many techniques and interesting recipes, but he'd been getting homesick lately. Even so, he couldn't just come back. He couldn't until he knew he was ready to show his old man what he'd learned. So far he felt he still wasn't good enough.

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Tue Apr 10, 2018 4:58 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana's eyes widened as she recieved a plate of food. "Thank you." She said. Then Tristana held the plate up to her mouth then opened her mouth. Then she began pouring as much food as she could into her mouth. Tristana placed the plate onto a smooth rock then with full cheeks, she began to actually chew and swallowed quickly. Then she used her sleeve to wipe her mouth. Her attention returned back to the orc. "I'm glad your dog likes me. Is it strange for dogs to be friendly? I've heard that they rip off your face if you go near them. " She asked her eyes glancing down at the dog. Perhaps that wasn't true. It seemed to her that the world wasn't as dangerous as it was described to her. There was no doubt that the world was a terrible place, but there seemed to be at least a little good in the world. Which made her glad. "I've been on the road for a little bit. I actually first started walking on the road about three weeks ago. Before then I was walking in a forest, which didn't have any paths." Tristana explained, "Does it count when you're in a fortress? Zanar's fortress had paths too."

Clearly she had missed the point of the question. But everything she had said was true. In fact she was currently the furthest away from home that she had ever been. Then again she didn't know if calling the cabin home was proper or if there was another word she needed to use. 
"I really like it out here." Tristana admitted, "The breeze is nice and it's fascinating to watch everything. Like how the bugs carry food down little holes or how the birds fly to a pile of sticks in the trees. I can't help but wonder what they are doing. Sometimes I like to sit and watch them."

She then looked at the sky, her heart feeling light with… what was the word? She felt like she could fly or dance. It had to be happiness. Tristana smiled, oblivious that her hood had fallen when she looked up. Her face was easily seen. There was a large ugly scar that started from her forehead and went down to her chin. Her left eye, where the scar was, looked white. Freckles where on her face and her bright red hair was down and free. When it came to her face, one could describe it as ugly. Most did. Tristana was still oblivious of her hood and turned back to the orc. 

"What about you?" She asked, "How many times have you walked in the path?" 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Mon Apr 9, 2018 3:55 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

"Is that so? That's proper generous of you." He took it carefully, not wanting to scare the girl. She looked like she was ready to bolt at a moment's notice. Realizing that she might not have even eaten yet, he looked back at the remaining slices of bread on the chopping block. There should still be plenty of rarebit left simmering in the pot, and it was only fair to share. The girl watched Bran for a while, and then suggested: "Perhaps he would like a bone or something to chew on? That won't make his stomach burst, will it?" Looking back at the jackal staring up with pleading eyes, he gave a sigh. "There's an idea. Problem is, we're plumb out of bones. If we had any he'd be helping himself to one." He might have to track down some deer to make some dried jerky. Then there'd be plenty of bones for Bran to snack on in between meals. Delanac thought about how much he was feeding him lately, and considered cutting back a little. Bran was a friendly pup, but letting him eat the same stuff as him might make him expect everybody to feed him. He'd get too used to eating food for folks and beg. Disciplining him was something he had to keep up on, as much as he loved his dog.

"Name's Delanac. It's been nice meeting you Miss Tristana." Going over to get a clean plate, he took a slice of bread and lifted the lid of the steaming pot. Scooping a ladle of rarebit, he carefully poured the cheese liquid over the dry rye slice and fanned it to cool. "Here, as thanks for the apples. Dried fruit's a real treat when you're out on the road." Offering the food to the girl, he eyed his pet whose gaze was fixated on the new plate. "No Bran, you only get one now. You can have more after you run around and dig about. We're running short on roots, so if we can find some parsnips we'll be lucky." The dried apples would have to be kept out of Bran's reach too, he wouldn't be able to digest them well. The jackal whined, and rolled over on its side. But, he understood his owner's tone of voice and settled down. Since Delanac wasn't eating another helping himself, the dog didn't feel like he was intentionally withholding food from him. Wagging his tail, he got up and began walking around the small camp in circles, watching his owner talk with the stranger he had smelled earlier.

Sitting down, Delanac leaned his head on his hand. "Bran likes you. He really likes people, he does. As soon as he sees a new face or someone he hasn't seen in a while, he's off like a rabbit and prancing around. Before he'd even jump up and knock 'em clean off their feet! Had to teach him to hold back some, so now he doesn't move onto that last bit except towards me. So, have you been on the road long?"

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Tue Apr 3, 2018 1:10 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Only too late did Tristana realize how strange she seemed to have acted. However she couldn't think of any other way to show that she wasn't a threat. However she was thankful that the dog didn't start barking. Then again it was stuffing it's mouth with food so it wasn't as if it could bark anyway. She observed the strange person and realized that it wasn't the trick of the light. He was actually a blue-grey shade of skin. Instantly thousands upon thousands of questions popped up in her mind about this new person. But she kept her mouth shut so that she wouldn't say anything strange and scare off this person. She didn't want to call him man since it was clear he wasn't one. However she didn't want to call him an it. There seemed to be no way of addressing him until he decided to inform her of his name. No doubt he would want her name in exchange. Tristana had no issue with that. Then this person spoke up, clearly surprised at the gift she held out to him. 

"The bag is for you. Inside are dried apple pieces." Tristana explained. 

She then placed the bag next to the stranger so he could easily get it then took a seat on one of the makeshift chairs. Her eyes drifted to the dog as it whined for more food. Even though it had just had a mouthful of stuff to eat. However she wasn't surprised. Most animals liked eating. Or at least that's what she assumed. 

"Perhaps he would like a bone or something to chew on?" She suggested gently, "That won't make his stomach burst, will it?"

Tristana looked up at the orc unsure if that was true or not. Seeing as she had only heard that dogs enjoyed bones a few days ago from eavesdropping on some travelers she had hid from. Even then she wasn't certain if that was a fact or rumor. One had to be careful to separate the two. Otherwise one could get themselves into danger. Tristana wondered how long this stranger and his dog had been traveling. Maybe a month or a few weeks? She was unsure seeing as she had no idea where they were going or where they came from. 

"I'm Tristana." She mentioned quietly so the stranger would have a way to address her. 

Well something that was better than mam or miss. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Mon Apr 2, 2018 10:37 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

A stranger's voice pulled him out of his savory daydream, and he turned to look. Bran rolled his eyes towards the sound as well, but seeing it was the same girl he had met before he paid no mind and continued chomping down the cheese-covered bread. Delanac scratched his head as he looked at the cloaked figure holding out a small bag to him. "Oh–er, hello to you too there." The jackal wasn't barking, but that was probably because he was too busy eating. The piece of bread was devoured in an instant, and he sat wagging his tail licking the edges of his mouth. The dog looked to his owner as if asking for more, panting with his tongue hanging out and eagerness in his eyes. Delanac was thrown off by this person's sudden appearance. He was sure he didn't hear or see anybody around when he set up camp or while he was cooking. That was quite careless of him, to think of it. He was more surprised at why they were holding this bag to him. Most people when they saw an orc would run in the opposite way, screaming. Also him being the tall and burly sort didn't help matters in that way either.

"If ye don't mind me asking, are you saying the bag's meant for me?" He asked with his thick Yovaeshi accent. This stranger looked small and mouse-like, somehow. Couldn't see their face well with that hood and all. Worried he'd scare them off, he motioned to one of the makeshift seats he had lying around. "Well…how 'bout a seat? Don't mind that, do you?" The jackal began to whine, demanding more food. "Shh, hold your horses Bran. Ye know eating a big meal all of a sudden's going to burst your belly." The orc hushed his dog. The jet-black dog laid down on the ground, placing his head between his front paws. Looking up with big puppy eyes, his tail wagged a little less wildly as he whimpered. He was proper cheeky at times, but good-natured. And he was proving to be a good hunting hound too. 

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Mon Apr 2, 2018 1:37 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

As she observed the dog she could see that the dog seemed to be well-cared for. That was a bit of a relief since it meant that he had a home to return to. Good. Suddenly the dog stopped a few inches in front of her. Either it was well trained or it had just natural manners. Or perhaps that's how dogs worked? Tristana reached her hand out to the top of the dog's forehead and stroke it's soft fur only once. Then the dog sprinted into a run and circled around her many times before coming to a stop. It was adorable! The way that he seemed so easily distracted yet somehow satisfied with everything in the world. Before she could reach down to pet it again, the dog bolted away in a specific direction. The exact same direction the smoke was in.

Tristana could hear it barking as if it was pronouncing itself to the world so that everybody could follow it. There was one thing that Tristana knew. She really wanted to pet that soft fur again. Throughout her entire life she had never touched any animal or thing for that matter that was as soft or as beautiful as that dog. So she did the only thing she could do. Tristana plunged into the thick tall grass in the direction that the dog went. The tall grasses tickled her legs and face but she resisted the urge to scratch. Instead she continued forwards listening to the sound of the dog's barks. She also spotted a flock of geese fly into the air away from the location of the dog. It was difficult to keep up with a dog being only human. Her breath quickened as she began to run faster and faster. She needed to know where the dog was going. Out of curiosity and out of the desire to pet it again. Tristana then tripped over her own feet and hit the ground with a splat. Unharmed, she got back up and continued running. 

Suddenly she had reached the area that the dog was headed to. Before she even saw the orc she could smell the scent of some sort of food and hear the words of a man greeting his dog. She crept a bit closer but let herself remain hidden in the tall grasses. What if this person wanted to kill her or burn her? Of course she was like this for anybody that she didn't know. The first person she had ever even met that wasn't her uncl- Nevin, she fully expected the woman to destroy her. Tristana had to keep reminding herself that not everybody was the same and therefore she couldn't assume people were that cruel. Still Tristana wanted to be cautious. Her hand reached the hood that had fallen off her head and laid relaxed on her bag. After pulling the hood over her head she felt a little bit better. Then she finally took a good look at the stranger next to the campfire. Whatever he was cooking already made her mouth water. But she knew that he probably had a short supply of food. And she had some supplies. Taking or asking food from a stranger would be rude. Especially when going to somebody as low as her. Tristana continued to observe the man and finally noticed that he wasn't a man. Although she didn't know what he was. She had only ever known of humans and had never been taught about other races except for the gods. If immortality counted as a race that is. And she was fairly certain it doesn't.

Tristana's eyes wandered to the fire and the desire to be near a warm area almost made her step out. However she wanted to bring him something so he knew that she wasn't intending on attacking him. Tristana looked inside her backpack as quietly as she could and brought out some dried apple pieces. It wasn't exactly a great gift but it was a gift nonetheless. Now the next difficult task. Approaching this person. That would most likely be the hardest thing for her to do and she knew it. Perhaps she should go straight up to him? No too forwards and it might be seen as threatening. Maybe wait and let the dog introduce her? No too creepy. After a few moments of thinking Tristana concluded that the best option would be to approach slowly and only come forward if he didn't seem to mind. Besides if she did this right then the man might allow her to pet his beautiful dog. It was time to show herself now before the dog exposed her hiding place. Tristana then stepped out of the tall grass with a small pouch filled with many dried apple pieces. She walked twelve steps forwards before holding out the pouch to the man. 

"Hello." She said casting her eyes downwards to the ground. 

From Bran's point of view, a young woman with a grey robe, auburn hair, and a hood covering her head stepped out of nowhere offering him a gift. She had worn purple slippers, a backpack, and a staff that she had tied to her backpack along with her bow. Since apparently, she didn't know how to hold her bow and a backpack at the same time. However her face would be difficult to see unless one pulled off her hood. To say she was strange would be to put it lightly. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Mon Apr 2, 2018 12:44 AM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Bran was well-cared for, and as happy as could be. Stopping on a dime, he was just inches again from tackling the startled girl and began leaning forward on his front legs. His tail was wagging like a flag in a storm, and his tongue hung out from his mouth. The jackal then ran in circles around her, barking all the way. Then, he stopped and stood erect. Turning his head to look off into the distance, he smelled that the food was ready. Before the smoke disappeared, he suddenly bolted in the camp's direction yelping up a storm. His enthusiasm caused flocks of birds to flee the fields as he ran, leaving an obvious trail for the girl to follow. Delanac rarely had to call him when it was time to eat. Bran always knew when to come. It was something that all animals shared, the natural senses of hearing and smell that told them more than sight alone.

The jackal was running back, excited as ever. He danced around the crock pot and hopped over to where his owner was readying slices of bread for the rarebit. "Hey, back already boy? Always right on time, you are. Now sit tight, and I'll get a nice heapin' helping for ye." Keeping the bread out of Bran's reach, he lifted the lid off the steaming pot. The fragrance of cheese and garlic roasted well-done went up into the air like incense burnt from censers. Taking in a deep breath, he took it all in. "Ahh….smells like home. Just like mam used to make it." Spooning a ladle of the molten goodness, he fanned the liquid cheese on the bread slices, watching it run into the holes and cracks like water on a thirsty riverbed. "That's lovely, isn't it? Proper tasty, too. Alright Bran, you've been such a good boy sitting still. Here you go." Placing a plate of bread with cooled cheese, the dog tore into it with joy. Delanac was ready to dig in too, having waited long for this moment. Pulling off a piece dripping with rarebit, he took a bite and closed his eyes. Ahh–bliss. He was so absorbed into savoring the goodness that he didn't notice if anyone else was around. The same could be said for Bran, as well.

Tristana would see a rather tall and burly orc and his camp, a fire that was burning, and the same dog that had greeted her so cordially earlier. There weren't any signs of others around, just the two of them. This orc was dressed fairly simply. Typical clothes a person would wear, not some tribal garb made from animal skin with bone trinkets. The camp itself was pretty tidy too.

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Sun Apr 1, 2018 10:22 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Tristana suddenly heard the sound of barking. She looked up from the mouse but couldn't see anything. The tall grass made it difficult to see any animals coming towards her. Until the dog barked again. She looked to the direction of the sound and spotted a dog with a red scarf tied around it's neck. It was barraling right towards her with what seemed to be happiness. Tristana didn't exactly know what to do at first. Was she supposed to say hello? But dogs couldn't speak so that really didn't make any sense. Should she pet it? What if the happy looking creature secretly wanted to kill her or…. now was not the time to be thinking of that terrible outcome. If it did try to attack her she could always use her protection spell then run away. After all running away was one of the best defenses out there. 

Tristana decided to stay because it was something new. A new creature that she had only heard about but never got the chance to actually meet. Curiosity overwhelmed her as she kneeled down to get closer to the dog that was coming straight at her. Probably not one of her best ideas. The dog was as black as the night sky. Which was the best thing for her to compare it too. As black as the night sky on a starless night. Tristana looked at the dog's bright red scarf. Did this animal belong to somebody? That was the only explanation for the decor around it's neck. She wondered if the animal was lost. Probably not. Or it wouldn't look so happy. Perhaps it was lost and seeing somebody out in the plains was such a relief. No matter who it was. That didn't make sense either. If a dog was tame then wouldn't it be unable to hunt for itself? These questions and many more raced through her mind as she watched the excited animal. 

Suddenly she could smell a scent from not to far away. It had been carried by the wind over the small distance. Tristana's eyes glanced up to the plains and spotted a bit of smoke rising in the distance. A fire? Most likely but the scent didn't smell like burning wood. It smelled like something she couldn't exactly pinpoint. Just as quickly as the smell came, it had gone. But she had noticed the smoke now. Maybe somebody had a camp. Tristana was rather nervous at that idea. It could be somebody dangerous after all. Somebody who probably killed and ate the bone of their enemies for breakfast but kept the head as a trophy to show their family. Tristana pushed that thought out of her mind. That was a terrible idea. Of course that's what she had been told would probably happen but Tristana and her curiosity wanted to find out for herself. 

Author: Delanac Ironbrow, Posted: Sun Apr 1, 2018 9:42 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

Somewhere on the plains, there was a small tent pitched beside a tree. There was a campfire going, and a cooking pot suspended over the burning kindling. The orc raked the coals a bit more, then resisted the urge to check on how the food was coming along. "Patience, Delanac. Rarebit's not something that's done in a minute." Today he decided to make one of his old favorite dishes back before he left home. Rarebit was a simple, but tasty snack that was filling. You didn't need much–just some bread, cheese, and spices. If you wanted to make it real fancy, you could add cream or an egg to make it better. But being on the road meant perishables were harder to come by outside of towns. The black jackal was impatiently watching the cast-iron crock. He whined and panted, wagging his tail while eyeing the pot with food. 

"Not yet, boy. It'll be done soon. How about you go run around a bit? When it's done I'll holler to ye." The black dog's ears perked up and he was off in a flash. Bran and he had been on the road for a few days already, and he could tell they were both missing home-cooked food. To be fair, Bran wasn't picky and would eat almost anything. Maybe he was spoiling him a bit, having him eat the same stuff and all. While the jackal ventured from the campsite, he put his snout to the ground and followed his nose. His owner had taught him to find and dig up edible roots when supplies were low, and for the dog it was fun and games. There was a bright red scarf tied around Bran's neck so Delanac could find him more easily. After chasing some birds, he caught wind of a new smell. Running after it, he started barking as he got closer to the lone girl. With tail and tongue wagging, he was barreling towards the stranger with as much energy a cheerful pup.

Delanac was still watching the fire, waiting until he began to see steam spill out from beneath the pot lid. The savory aroma of melted cheese and garlic was delicious, and it quickly spread out over the area. Humming to himself, the orc rummaged through his pack for the bread. Pulling out a stale loaf of black rye, he checked if it was spoiled. It was dry, but edible. The molten cheese would help soften it some once he slathered it over the slices. Taking his oak chopping block, he wiped it down and started cutting through the dry crust.

Author: TristanaDeformem, Posted: Sun Apr 1, 2018 12:21 PM, Post Subject: A New Path (O)

A young woman travels down a dusty old path in the middle of the plains. She has a grey plain robe, wooden staff to walk with, and a backpack on her shoulders. Her entire head is covered with a hood attached to the robe and she looks downwards at the path ahead of her. The wind blows, causing her robe to flow and letting some of her auburn hair fly with the wind. She could smell the scent of fresh grass with a hint of a flower's natural scent. The sun was just beginning to creep along the sky but the young woman did not look at the sun. Even she knew that would be incredibly stupid. 

Her name was Tristana Deformem. The robes Tristana wore had dirt splattered around it. After all she did spend the cold night sleeping in a hole in the ground with only her blanket to warm her. A huge mistake. However it was better than being eaten by the countless monsters above the ground. Tristana stopped for a moment and reached towards her canteen. It was mostly filled, showing how little she had traveled the night before. She drank the water then sealed the canteen. Tristana let it drop at her side before continuing her long walk. This was one of those times she had wished she had one of the horses she had heard so much about. A horse to ride across the long plains instead of walking the entire way. That would have been so nice. And probably so expensive. But wishing for what you didn't have never got anybody anywhere. So she mentally told herself to shut up and continued walking. 

Although she did know the dangers of the plains, particularly the monsters and tribes that no doubt would love to murder her, she still couldn't help but admire the beauty of the plains. Against the bright blue sky, the grassy plains looked exquisite. Or that could just be the fact she had never stepped outside of a cabin room for the last seventeen years. Regardless to her, everything seemed gorgeous. She then heard a sound of a squeak and stopped in her tracks. A few feet away from her was a little mouse scattering it's way across the path. Tristana watched as it ran into the grassy fields and listened to it's squeaks. She thought about leaving the path to follow where it went. Where was it going? What was it up to? These questions burst into her mind as she began to follow the little mouse. Of course it could lead her to a pit of death or a monster that only wanted to kill Tristana. But why would it want to? Besides it seemed to not notice her anyways. So she began walking of the path in a diagonal direction. Creating a new path for herself.