03.11.919
The training grounds of House Beryl
Bax
For the past month, Bax had been visiting the lab where Sav and Gwin Clockwright were conducting their research on the stone that was recovered from The Daggered Spine Mountains. As time passed, and the group became more accustomed to staying in one place, he was growing more uncomfortable. The last time he had stayed in one place for an extended period of time was at Northgate, and that had only led to more of their family being slain. His anxiety was growing by the day and he was running out of ways to distract himself, leading to his suspicions rising about the stone itself.
He knew better than to think that he could assist with research into the strange rock but wanted to inspect himself, if only from a distance. Perhaps it was a delayed lure that would summon the great dragon to their location again? Or some other, greater beast that would lay siege to the city! No…If something so obvious had not yet been discovered by Sav, it likely wouldn’t be the case. Even still, Bax could barely sustain his unease, and felt useless that he couldn’t offer more.
A spark of an idea - he couldn’t offer help with the stone directly. Perhaps not even within the city…He rushes from the laboratory to meet with some contacts at the hunter’s guild. Folks he had met during one of many outings beyond the city walls.
The following morning, at the training grounds they had all come to take advantage of, he walks directly up to the older soldier. “Ashen, hey, quick word. Back in the mountains, when we first came across Summit, you yelled at it in some strange tongue. Were you trying to speak with it? Can you speak the language of dragons? Does that translate to the dragon people as well?”
Ashen
Without flourish, Ashen pauses his training regiment upon seeing Yet Another one of the group he had travelled to town with heading in his direction across the grounds. He turns his stone face to watch Bax Demir’s approach and slows his breathing. The bags of damp sand strapped to his wrists and ankles feel heavier now that he’s stopped moving, but not heavy enough. He’ll add more tomorrow.
Mercifully, Bax’s quick word is just that. Ashen stares at him for a moment too long before answering.
“My greeting was to open a parlay with the mountain dragon. It was wild and could not understand. It’s reasonable to assume the dragon people would understand this tongue, however, their hostility was evident. They are unlikely to parlay.”
Ashen pauses, but continues staring wholesale into Bax’s eyes. A stillness radiates out from him as his breath becomes increasingly shallow, almost imperceptible.
Bax
A mixture of excitement and dread twist within Bax’s stomach; it was the answer he was hopeful for and equally dreading. His face contorts from a growing smile to an unpleasant realization before quickly resetting to a thoughtful gaze and considers his plan once more. “Maybe it’s not a total bust…” he mumbles. Nodding to himself, he looks up and meets Ashen’s piercing eyeline again.
“We don’t need them to parlay,” Bax begins, in his delayed response to Ashen. “Not immediately at least.
“Look, Mrs. Clockwright and Sav haven’t made much progress on the stone, even after all this time. And part of me is wondering if there’s anything else back near the lab in the mountains that could help them. Or maybe, if we can interrogate one of the dragon folk, we can find out why Summit seemed so interested in the stone in the first place—there has to be something we can do to help them. It’s a long shot but I figure that if you’d join me, we can confirm whether or not we missed anything at least. It’ll be a long trip, we’ll be gone for something like two months I think. So what d’you think? You in or not?”
Ashen
Ashen looks down the line of 9 training constructs, each bent and broken in its own unique way. He breathes in deeply through his nose and turns back to Bax.
Crossing his arms, he states “YU-IN ORN’OT” and tilts his head slightly.
… …
“Hm. Two months of travel, into the territory of an aggressive, wild dragon, to sift through rubble and interrogate TU-LOK for scraps of false information.”
… …
“I expect a full brief five days before departure. Roster. Objectives. Route. LOON-AK-TID. Supply manifest. Input from Sav and Clockwright.”
Ashen turns to leave, pausing, “Add 3 days to the duration. There is a detour.”
Bax
Bax’s fists squeeze into tight balls and his jaw clenches. Being spoken to, being ordered, in such a militaristic manner set him on edge and caused his blood to boil in a way he didn’t fully recognize. He bites the inside of his cheek and the sudden taste of iron that coats his tongue distracts from his building rage. He huffs a shallow, quick breath through his nostrils before responding in as steady a tone he can muster as he steps around and disrupts Ashen’s path.
“No. This isn’t some military operation, I’m not taking directions from you, we’re working together. You want a rundown of the plan? This is it, this conversation we’re having now. We leave in four days—I’ve spoken with the hunter’s guild and bartered to ride northeast with them to assist in hunting creatures that’ve evaded them up till now, roughly one week’s ride out. We aid their hunt, they’ll guide us further towards the mountain after, even offer some supplies, but’ll go no further than a few days from where we slay the monsters. From that point we’d be on our own.
“You want a roster? It’s us—the less of us there are the faster we’ll travel and the less likely we’ll be found. You want objectives?” Bax holds up four fingers and aggressively counts on each one for every point he lists. “Travel as close as we can to the site we evacuated from; find what we can; survive any encounters; return alive. Everything in between we’ll have to sort on the fly.
“If you want a route, take a look at a map and guess. The wilds here are untamed and incredibly dangerous, no one has mapped out trails that don’t directly connect one city to another. I also expect that you can pack your own supplies. I’ll talk with Sav and figure out an idea of what we should look out for.”
Pausing for a breath, Bax pinches the bridge of his nose, pushing his frustration with the man further down. “Look, I came to you because I know my limits and thought you could help. I don’t need a commander, I need a partner. Otherwise I’ll just go out on my own.
“If you do come with me, we’re on our own time table—we can take however much time we may need. What’s three more days on top of two months right?” He offers a shrug at this last point. “Ya need to know anything else?”
Ashen
Ashen pauses mid-step as Bax, clearly agitated, moves in front of him and begins ferociously relaying all of the information he just requested. He listens, unblinking, as Bax concludes and regains his composure. Rushed. Ill-planned. No clear objective. But he had secured the hunter’s guild and said he would consult with Sav to clarify their purpose.
It was a better brief than he expected to receive. With the bonus of being instantaneous.
“Ya need to know anything else?” Bax says.
Ashen nods. “Good.” He steps forward beside Bax and places a heavy hand on his shoulder while looking straight ahead.
“I’ll prepare.”
Then strides off with purpose.
Bax
He aggressively brushes his shoulder off, looking back as the old soldier walks away. Though Bax still felt annoyed, he felt accomplished in getting Ashen to agree to the trip. Now he just had to hope that he wouldn’t come to regret it.
On the fourth day, the pair rocked back and forth within a horse drawn carriage filled with supplies, weapons, and a few hunters guild members. They had left Endergaln some hours ago and were well on their way to tracking these elusive monsters. Bax made small talk with each of the hunters, getting to know their names and some history, careful not to reveal too much of his own.
As he readjusts, he double checks for the sending stone that Sav granted him the evening before. Pulling it from his pocket, he thumbs over the simple rock and marvels that Sav was able to create a magic item so quickly and effortlessly.
He had delayed telling her of his plan until the last day, having panicked over how to actually inform but keep her in the city. This trip could be all for naught and Bax figured that Sav’s time would be better spent continuing to do their work uninterrupted. With a lot of convincing, and a not so subtle hint of annoyance, Sav approved the plan, but insisted Bax take a sending stone so that he would actually remain in touch and keep Sav updated; he gladly accepted, thankful for the option to speak with someone else aside from Ashen once they were in the mountains.
Sav also produced a brief ledger listing out the things they would be grateful to have. Bax accepted this as well and would later provide it to Ashen so he could keep track of it—better that someone who can actually read to keep it.
Across the wagon, Bax could see Ashen fully removed from all conversation as he cared to his weapon and armor. Bax sighed heavily and turned his gaze to the north, watching as the group crested over their first great hill. The wilds expanded out before them and Bax couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement, even if only for a passing moment. This new world was scary and incredibly dangerous; all the better to count your blessings and admire beautiful vistas when the option presents itself.
Ashen
Some time after parting ways with the hunters, as the pair re-enters the vast lands surrounding Ivakar’s Passage, Ashen reorients their trajectory.
“There is a detour.”
He does not elaborate for a day and a half until they reach the edge of a clearing in the snow-blasted forest. A curl of smoke rises from the chimney of a small cabin nestled among banks of snow. With the raise of two fingers, Ashen stops them at the tree line. The clear land between them and the cabin is littered with finely polished stone cenotaphs, strangely free of snow and debris. The wind blows snow spirals across the silent, macabre landscape.
Ashen holds still for several moments, before reaching forward and speaking the words,
“CO-PEAR-AS ALIN-SU”
A pulse of energy emanates out from him, encompassing Bax and many of the memorials surrounding the dwelling. Another moment passes before Ashen nods curtly and strides out into the clearing towards the door.
RAP RAP RAP
His knocks echo out from the wood and bounce from tree to tree.
“Drän Haas! Open the door.”
Ashen stares into the weathered boards until a small latch is heard uncoupling. The door creaks open slightly, and a grey eye peaks through. It slowly looks up, widening the moment it lands on Ashen’s face. The door slings open, and a bent, frail old man wrapped in a blanket lunges forward. Ashen doesn’t move or react as the man, barely half his height, embraces him tightly.
“Ashen! I’m so glad you’ve returned!”
The old man beams into Ashen’s torso.
“Come in! Come in! Your friend too!” He gestures towards Bax and leads the way inside.
Sitting inside the cramped space, the fireplace lights and heats all, as Drän scurries about prepping tea; Rambling at Bax the entire time.
“…You see, I was so lost in my efforts to attain life-unending. Surrounded by death, so close. So close… …”
He pauses for a moment, dazed, before shaking it off.
“That’s when Ashen showed up. Heh Heh. He saved me, he did. Showed me the err of my ways. I… … owe my life to him.”
The old man pauses, tea tray trembling in his hands, before setting a small cup of steaming liquid in front of Bax and Ashen.
“It’s made from storm leaf. Your favorite Ashen. Heh heh. But yes yes,” turning once again to Bax. “You truly haven’t begun to live until you’ve accepted that you’ll, one day, stop living. The food is sweeter. The tea…” He takes a sip. “More delicious. And the time spent with those you love; All the more precious.”
“Good to see you’re doing well, Drän.” Ashen interjects. “You are doing well, yes?”
Drän is still as a statue, frozen mid-sip. The silence expands.
“Drän.”
“DRÄN.”
“Yes! Oh yes!” He’s startled back from stone. ”Ashen. It’s as you said. The pull comes and goes, but I am strong. I’ve stayed strong with the reminders…” He stares out the frosted window at the markers bearing names. “I will never forget… I live for them now.” Turning back to the two seated men, he gives a warm, wrinkled smile and clasps his hand. “You’ll stay the night, won’t you?” Looking back and forth between Bax and Ashen… . Ashen looks back without blinking. “Just for dinner then. Heh heh.” He turns and begins busying himself with pots and prep.
“And I’d love to hear your story, friend of Ashen. It will be a lovely dinner indeed…”
Bax
With awkward small talk, Bax introduced himself to the man, Drän, telling a bit of himself. He didn’t need to talk much as Drän carried most of the conversation throughout the meal, talking in circles and meandering onto other topics with no instigation. Though clearly frazzled, the man appeared kind and well-meaning, however, he seemed all too eager to prove himself towards Ashen. It made the overall experience disconcerting and Bax was glad to be done with it as they moved on towards their actual destination.
They would take turns in leading their traversal, although Bax could not stop himself from second guessing Ashen when he led or offered advice. What frustrated him more is that Ashen had a stronger grasp of the world and could seemingly navigate it with more ease, as Bax would make more mistakes, leading them in the wrong direction, forcing them to backtrack. While Ashen never said anything other than a curt, “Wrong way,” once the mistake was clear, Bax felt as though he was being judged on every misstep; it reminded him of being a boy again, eager to prove himself, and judged for his poor performance…
After weeks of travel, the terrain was finally beginning to shift to the rocky landscape Bax could recognize as the mountains they were trekking towards. This came with its own unfortunate circumstances however, as the dragon-kin people had seemed to have moved further down the mountain. Not in great numbers - they appeared to be moving in small scouting parties; it was enough to slow the pair’s progress considerably from the pace they were roaming before. They would continue forward but they would need to be more careful to avoid detection.
Ashen
ENTRY: Bax Demir
Human
Age: ~25
Notable Features: Damaged Right Eye; Blue tattoo Right Arm
Magically adept.
Martial training in melee and ranged weaponry with a preference for spears.
Bax Demir is a proficient fighter with obvious experience in high level, mixed-medium combat. No notable formal education. He holds many survival skills, though his wilderness navigation leaves something to be desired. Often second guessing himself may indicate a lack of confidence in his navigational assessments, or, conversely, promise that he is, at least, aware when his assessment is flawed. He does take course correction in stride, but it is one of few things he does.
His thinly-veiled anger and discomfort have yet to manifest in any significant, observed way, as he seems to extract himself from situations before acting on these emotions. Furthermore, his loyalty and devotion to his companions seems sound and unaffected by this. The strongest connections being with Sav and Squire given they have history pre-dating the shift to this world.
Bax does show potential in self-assessment and initiative towards goals that he is well suited for and that aid the group as a whole, but his scope is narrow. He is ill-suited to complex, long-term strategy.
It will be informative to observe his interrogation techniques and method of decommissioning a captive adversary.
Bax
After nearly a month of trekking across the mountains, the pair made contact with the dragon folk (‘dragonborn’ as Ashen had clarified). Tracks had led them to a small encampment, still a great distance from their destination, but nonetheless easily distinguished to be followers of Summit. At Bax’s insistence, he and Ashen kept away for another two days, studying their routines and schedules. Just after a late shift change in watchmen, they snuck up on a singular enemy; Bax casting a bubble of silence directly underneath him and Ashen sprinting to tackle him. Bax joined to help tie him up and they quickly carried the captive away to a hidden cave that they had scouted out previously. It would be another 5-6 hours before the next shift change; not nearly enough time for a true interrogation, but they would need to make it count.
As Bax had suspected, the dragonborn (or this one at least), seemed to only speak in the language of the dragons. Ashen would be required to translate and Bax found himself silently thanking the Harvest for having the foresight to bring the soldier.
“My name is Bax; I have questions to ask you. First, could I have your name please?” Bax starts. He kneels to the ground in front of the bound prisoner with his back to the wall. Waiting only a moment, Ashen speaks up, interpreting the question into dragon speech.
In a series of hisses and indistinguishable growls, the captive finishes his response, spitting at Bax’s chest. Unmoving, Bax’s gaze turns up to Ashen. “Filthy, lost mule. This mountain will be your grave, to serve as the soil upon which our lord Summit shall rise.”
While Spit had replied with enough hostility and venom in his tone that no interpretation was needed, Ashen had relayed the response in a monotone manner. It would have been amusing if the soldier had an ounce of humor in his bones.
Bax releases an annoyed sigh, “Okay, well, I’m gonna call you ‘Spit’ if that’s alright. So Spit, what were you and your dragon doing at the top of the mountain?”
The tense back and forth carries on for hours; Spit proves himself to be an unwilling participant in the game of questions while Bax is only able to pull bits and pieces of information from context clues hidden within Spit’s insults. Through Spit, the pair discover that Summit had recently risen after centuries of sleep. While Summit does not speak directly, the priests that worship the ancient beast supposedly interpret his will and believe that he was roused from his slumber by a fallen star.
Further, they believe that other great dragons are also due to wake so that they may reclaim the world for dragon kind. This group of dragonborn that worship Summit have also moved a great distance down from the high mountains as the dragon has expanded his territory. Unfortunately, prodding for further information about the specifics surrounding the ‘fallen star’ only incur more intense growls and insults, followed by angry silence. It appeared that Spit wisened up and opted to keep his mouth closed when asked further questions, though the vitriol in his eyes remained.
Sitting for a moment, Bax considered this learned information. While none of it tied into Sav’s research, if the dragonborn were moving down the mountain, that could foil any hope of completing the research. The looming threat to Ivakar’s Passage, and potentially beyond, was reason enough for Bax and Ashen to retreat back to Endergaln so that they could warn the group.
His gaze flicking to Ashen, Bax could see the old soldier silently observing. Ashen had remained noiseless throughout the entire interrogation, aside from translating. His facial expression never changed from that unreadable, serious expression he always seemed to carry. Even still, Bax knew the stiff warrior would have likely come to the same conclusion that he had. Looking back to the cave entrance, Bax attempted to determine the exact length of time that had transpired. While he couldn’t be sure, he felt that they had little time remaining for a clean getaway. It was time to conclude this inquisition…
“Spit,” Bax announced, suddenly standing. He pulled a silvered dagger from his back and threw it to the floor in front of the prisoner. “We’ve reached the end of our talk together—we all know what that means unfortunately; I won’t be slitting your throat though. Instead, my partner is going to untie you and you and me are gonna fight to the death.”
Ashen had halted his translation to the dragonborn at the instructions to untie the captive. He cocked an eyebrow before Bax prompted him with a curt head nod. Bax couldn’t help but feel a sense of satisfaction at getting a rise from the man, reserved though it was. As Ashen resumed interpreting, Bax stripped, exposing his scarred torso to the freezing elements and continued.
“If I felt comfortable, I’d let you return to your troupe so that you could live out the rest of your days. Unfortunately, you and yours were so immediately hostile to my group that I can’t really trust you. Not to mention all the unkind things you said about us - you didn’t really do yourself any favors with some of the things you said earlier…
But I’m not a man who’d slay another person with no way to defend themselves. So here we are,” Bax shrugged, standing only wearing thick pants, holding a second dagger. “A chance. If you can kill me, you can walk out of here; if I kill you, we walk out of here.”
Released from his binds, Spit jumps to the dagger in front of him and takes a defensive posture. Ashen concludes translating, stepping away into the shadows of the cave.
“Don’t worry about him,” Bax explained, as Spit quickly glanced between the two kidnappers. “This is strictly between you and me. He won’t interfere.” Ashen interpreted aloud from the back of the cave. Spit turned, cautiously acknowledging the duel before him.
“I’m sorry it’s come to this; I wish…” Bax trails off. He thinks better and lets the thought remain incomplete; he breathes out slowly, feeling the biting air clash with his warm skin. Hardening his resolve, he falls into a defensive stance, whispering to himself, “Respect the Hunt.”
Ashen
ENTRY: Bax Demir
ADDENDUM
As part of an expedition to the Black Wall, Bax’s strength and combat prowess will, no doubt, prove useful. Despite some questionable practices, he is also adept at harsh climate management and bushcraft.
His mental fortitude, however, is a liability. Poor anger management, coupled with an inclination to protect those he values or perceives as weak is his biggest exploitable weakness and could lead to rash decision-making, if pressed. He would sacrifice himself to save another without regard to major objectives and would undoubtedly hesitate when faced with a CORZO of someone he cares for.
It is my assessment that he will not survive the Black Wall expedition.
- Ashen Iscariot, Grand Knight of the Iscariot Order of the Pale Guard
Episode navigation
Previous
Previous:
Kitchen Unconfident (Bax)
Sweet & Sour & Serious (Ashen)Next
Next:
S14 E19 - Previously On
Back to: