• Graded • [Hopetoun] Missive Unmissable

[Darius Baer]

Arc 721, 96th of Vhalar

The young boy could barely contain his excitement. Clinging to the taffrail of the ship as prepared to dock, he looked over the side with wide eyes. The riot of blond hair upon his head blew about with the sea breeze, and he was almost bouncing on the spot with his eagerness for the ship to arrive.

He tugged on the arm of one of the sailors twice his height, and asked for directions.

"Down the end of the dock," came the burly man's reply, "turn right, and follow that path up the hill. That'll take you where you want to go."

As soon as the mooring ropes were tied and the gangway was dropped, the boy did precisely that. He ran as fast as his young feet could carry him. His leather shoes stomped loudly over the wooden planks that formed the dock, and he weaved between sailors and citizens alike.

Clutched in his hand was a parchment. He held it tightly, not wanting to let it go, his young grip serving as the last line of defense against a wind that would have been only too happy to snatch it away. The breeze that wanted to steal the parchment was the very same one that brushed against the boy's face as he ran, pushing his blond hair out of his eyes and tickling his skin.

As a result, giggles became interspersed with his panting as he ran along the path with the seemingly endless energy of youth. His feet were a constant blur as they carried him along the path to a collection of buildings.

He stopped to ask a passerby for directions, and was pointed to a house which matched the basic description that the sailor had given him. Taking a few moments to catch his breath - and a few more to swallow the sudden nerves that he felt in the pit of his stomach - the boy approached the building and knocked on the door.

A few trills later, the door opened, and the awestruck boy looked upwards and into the bearded face of Darius Baer.

[Darius Baer]

The settlement leader looked down at the youngster.

"What is it, lad?" he asked.

"A letter, m'lord!" the boy announced confidently as he handed over the missive. "From Scalv-Town."

"You came all the way from Scalv-Town?", Darius asked, feigning amazement.

The boy nodded enthusiastically, unable to hide his grin.

Darius crouched down, eyes wide in pretend wonder. He held up the letter that the boy had delivered.

"How did you keep it dry, after swimming all that way?"

The boy giggled.

"I didn't swim!" the boy declared, 'correcting' Hopetoun's leader. "I came in a ship!"

"Ah, that makes much more sense," Darius agreed as he stood upright once more and reached into a fold in his clothing. "Here you go, lad. A tip."

The boy looked up with wide, excited eyes as Darius placed three nels into his tiny palm.

"Thank you, m'lord!" blurted the boy excitedly, before he found a sudden burst of energy that sent him running back towards the ship from whence he came.

The sight caused Darius to chuckle, and he watched until the youngster was out of sight before he retreated into the house and closed the door.

The settlement leader immediately sat down at his table and, in the sunlight that streamed through the window, he looked at the writing on the outside of the piece of parchment. On one side, a basic address was written in a familiar hand:
Darius Baer,
Hopetoun,
Faldrass.

The sight of such a simple address made Darius grin. The author of the letter frequently understated things. Darius was a baron and a settlement leader, and he had been forged by fire, but the only one of his titles that Josef Baer seemed to care about was 'son'.

[Darius Baer]

The seal on the missive was torn away, and the parchment was opened in short order, as Darius wasted no time in reading its contents. In fact, he read it so quickly that he had to stop, go back, and read it again, because Josef Baer was not known for being a prolific writer.

Receiving a letter from his father was so unusual that Darius had worried that it might bear bad news, and the darkness in his storm grey eyes reflected that fact. The first thing that struck him about the missive was its length. For someone who didn't do a lot of writing, Josef had used up a lot of ink. But as he read the letter, Darius quickly realised that his concerns were all for nought.

Darius my lad! Just a few linesJosef Baer's name is derived from one of the author's ancestors. During World War I, while serving in the trenches, he would write letters to his wife. He was not known for long letters, but he began almost every one with the words "Just a few lines..." to tell you about something strange that happened to me.

If you have got this letter, it means Ædric found you. He's a good lad. He reminds me of you in some ways. I hope you gave him something for his efforts!

Anyway...do you remember asking me if I thought the Immortals exist? And then if I thought they could talk to people? And then you told me you'd met a few Immortals?

Well...I told you that story about making a Pirate Lord laugh, and then a few trials ago, a very strange thing happened. I received a book.

Now, you know I'm not one for stopping and reading all that much. I tend to be on my feet most of the time, because there is always something to do. You might remember that it used to drive your Ma batty!

Anyway, this book made me stop. It was delivered by someone whose appearance I can't remember. And I can't recall what they said, either. But the book itself is unforgettable.

I think it must be the most beautiful book I've ever seen! It tells the story I shared with you - every last detail. But it has pictures! And they seem to be more realistic than any painting I've ever seen. You'll have to see it to really understand what I mean.

It is beautifully constructed, and on the inside there is this message:

"To Josef Baer,

With thanks for providing a tale of quick wits and in acknowledgement of the importance of a good father.

Cassion."

Now, I know it might seem silly to you, but I tried showing this to Mrs Kel next door, but she reckons it says "Kryls" instead of "Cassion". Then I asked Nierk at the market and he thought it said "Terein". And Dai, my old sailing buddy at The Knight's Rest thought it said his name, but he's usually half-drunk, so maybe his opinion doesn't count.

Anyway, I've still got the book with me. As much as I like Ædric, it was too valuable for me to let him take it to you. And it's heavy - the poor lad has such skinny arms!

If you'd like to see it, come pay me a visit the next time you're in Scalv-Town.

I hope everything in Hopetoun is going well. Please pass on my regards to Astra.

Your Da,
Josef.

Darius chuckled as he put down the letter, a grin stretching across his face. The Taleweaver had enabled his own father to weave a tale. That, in and of itself, made it a noteworthy occasion in the Baer family.


A few trials later, Darius found himself in Scalvoris Town to collect some supplies. But as soon as he had concluded that business and arranged for a replenishment of stocks to readied for the return trip to Faldrass, he made his way to the family home to visit his father.

There, Josef showed him the book, and it was even more wondrous than he could have imagined. It was constructed with the finest craftsmanship that he had ever seen. It was beautifully bound, but there was nothing ostentatious about its design. While he imagined that some books might have a gold inlay, or some other extravagant finery, this one was made in layers of leather that appeared to have been woven together. In place of a ribbon bookmark, strands of rope had been intricately woven together so that a reader could keep his or her place. On the cover and the spine, the title was burnt into the leather: The Pirate Lord's Laugh by Josef Baer.

It was all very...nautical.

As Darius looked through the book with his father, he saw that the story itself appeared to jump from the page. The pennanship was flawless, and the illustrations appeared to move - the gentle ripples of the ocean or the sight of a breeze catching a ship's sail.

And on the inside cover was the message just as Josef had described it, complete with the name "Cassion".

The Baer boys said very little to each other during that visit. They looked over the book together, and then embraced, but they were mostly silent. There didn't seem to be any words left to say - especially not after the Taleweaver himself had already weighed in on their relationship.

!

Message from: Peg

Loot approved: here Josef Baer receives a beautifully bound book which contains this story. It is written by someone who is ~ evidently ~ a rather good storyteller and it is illustrated so well that the images seem to almost move. It's absolutely exquisite and beyond masterwork craftsmanship. The dedication in the book reads thus . "To Josef Baer, With thanks for providing a tale of quick wits and in acknowledgement of the importance of a good father. Cassion." Of course, if he shows the random person in the street this book they'll think it's someone else, or someone taking the mickey. Maybe it is

[Doran]

Darius:

Knowledge:
Appraisal: Recognising fine craftsmanship.
Discipline: Coping with being recognised by strangers for your past deeds.
Etiquette: Paying someone for a job well done.
Leadership: Being a leader may make you seem larger than life to others.
Socialisation: Talking to a child at their level.
Storytelling: Seeing how a story can be brought to life.

Loot: Josef's book.
Lost: -
Wealth: -
Injuries: -
Renown: -
Magic XP: -
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Points: 10

- - -

Comments: I loved the first post that was written from the perspective of the young boy. You conveyed his excitement very well, and you made me really curious about the parchment in his hand and what kind of message exactly her was going to deliver to Darius.

I wish you had given him a name though, even though he was just a messenger!

The conversation between Darius and the boy was entertaining and easy to read (You have a gift for writing dialogue in my opinion!). The fact that the only title that Josef Baer seems to care about when it comes to Darius is “son” made me smile!

I love the fact that you included the actual letter from Josef (and explained the OOC reason for his name). You’ve managed to give Josef a unique voice, even in this letter. The little story about what happened when Josef showed the book to people amused me!

Enjoy your rewards!