Home for the Holidays (Jasper)

[Brent Forrester]

60 Vhalar – Home for the Holidays

Brent had missed the Svarielle Harvest Festival with his Ardiechy cousins last arc, so this Vhalar he was making an effort to see them again. It wasn’t that he didn’t like them, they were a homely bunch, but sometimes the age gap was so blatant that it was hard to relate to the Ardiechy children and young adults. Still, it was better than spending time with his immediate family at the logging mill. His brother Ted had always been an exception, but the others were only alright in the best of times. Both Ted and Brent had been putting in a lot of time to the village’s defences and it would probably do them both good to have a day of celebration without coming home with a stiff back and sore hands.

Although the celebrations traditionally began at dawn, it wasn’t until noon that Brent and Ted arrived at the Ardiechy hold bearing two meat pies and a pumpkin pie. Brent couldn’t bake to save his life, but he had convinced his neighbor Molly to help him with the pies in exchange for patching up her leaky roof.

The large family hall was bustling with activity. There were barrels filled with water where young children were splashing their faces to bob for apples. Freshly baked bread and pies filled the air. Children were playing hide and seek amongst hay stacks. Someone was playing a fiddle and a pretty lady danced in a long white skirt. Near the center of the building was cleared dirt area open to the sky with an enormous pig on a spit. By suppertime the meat would be cooked through for the feast that was planned.

This time seemed different as the cartographer looked about the faces of the Ardiechy hold. After working on their stone wall, he recognized most of them even if he couldn’t put a name to them immediately. Sten had brought rocks from the quarry. Jenna had gotten so good with the mortar that her dress had been completely covered by it.

Then he spotted another face who he struggled to find a name for. The man was certainly an Ardiechy by his face, but he was robed instead of dressed in simple farmer’s clothes. He was just a little different from the rest of them.

“Jasper is it?” Brent asked as he walked up to the man.

The cartographer held out his hand for a shake. “Brent Forrester, of the Forresters and cartographer in town. I hear they sent you off to Raelia? How’s the capital treating you?”

[Jasper]

Jasper had taken the fast way from the capital to his hometown of Alivilda for the harvest celebration. A couple trials before he had saddle Laquin with supplies for a few trials and then had bundled himself up and his younger brother and together the three of them had taken off.

Jasper was comfortable flying solo with his eight legged friend but it was new to travel with a passenger so far. The stallion was certainly up to the task of caring the young man and the boy but there where some adjustments.

Jasper sat with Samuel sitting behind him having given him very specific instructions not to let go. The young Aesir had loved viewing the countryside passing far below them as the flew south west.

They had arrived earlier that morning having flown the last but through the night to arrive in time for the festivities. After Jasper had stabled the white Sleipnir he had found his way into the Ardiechy halls. Jasper stood in a funny place among the families being a grandson of the former heads of both the Ardiechy and the Alivilda holds he could easily move between the two.

At this point it was just the current patriarch, his children, nieces and nephews and grandchildren. As the event progressed the other member of the Alivilda hold would show up. Jasper was pleased to see his brothers were also floating between the two halls. Jasper didn’t just stand around waiting for others to prepare the festivities but threw himself into moving tables and heavy dishes of food as he was directed. Laughing and sharing jokes with his family as the work progressed.

Toward mid day he paused and found a older cousin walking up to him. Jasper turned and greeted his older cousin with a smile both on his face and in his eyes. Jasper sometimes still threw the villagers. He wore the open robe that marked him as an Aesir but he wasn’t old and his expression was all smiles and jokes. What they didn’t understand was that he took his job serious but he saw the world as a beautiful place and it made him happy.

“Yes I’m Jasper.” He said extending his arm. “I am remember you. Son of my Aunt Anna correct.” That was really all he knew about the man. He listened as he explained what he did for a living. Jasper smiled at him and said. “You would love to take a ride on Laquin then. Being able to see the whole landscape from above would really help, I would think, with making maps.”

Jasper grimaced a bit at how the capital was testing him. “It’s okay. I am learning a lot but there is something healthy about Alivilda. I don’t think I will stay in the capital forever but will stay there until I have enough knowledge to struck out on my own.”

“How has your family been?”

[Brent Forrester]

“Yes, my mother Anja is your father’s sister.” Brent answered and added in the slight correction. Call it touchy, but he cared deeply for his mother.

However his mind suddenly peaked with interest when he realized Jasper was talking about a mount that would have had to have been a Slepnier. His eyes widened for just a second and then he struggled to contain a mix of excitement paired with anxiety.

“Your mount, Laquin you said? Is a Slepnier?”

There was a hint of awe and wonder in his voice. On the rare occasion he saw such beasts up close, they were usually mounted by the Ragnari. And of course, he didn’t know any Ragnari personally. Not really. He’d had a couple of encounters with the military arm of Melrath, but it was all highly professional and not open to any idle curiosity.

There was something satisfying about the way Jasper referred to Alivilda as ‘healthy’, and Brent smiled at the comment.

“I’ve been to Raelia lots of times, but only for short visits and out of necessity. In fact, I grew up only about a day’s walk from the capital, but it was always so big and bustling with so many people you didn’t know. In Alivilda, people care and look after each other. I mean, we have gatherings like this with food all around and people know each other even if just by face or name sometimes.”

Brent picked up a small meat pie from a table and offered a second to Jasper.

“But tell me more about your mount. How did you come about riding a Slepnier? I thought only Ragnari did that. And what’s it like to fly? I would think my stomach would do flips from the height but the view must be spectacular.” Having recovered his initial surprise and awe, Brent was a little more composed and conversational.

“Anything vast and open would be great for plotting on a map. Although I must say that when it comes to forest trails and details of the land, I do like having my feet planted on the ground. Or just on old Tony’s back.” He referred fondly to his packhouse and seemed to have a need to rationalize his methods of mapping.

He had never truly considered seeing the world from above like that even though it might make sense logically in his field. Whether it seemed like ‘cheating’ or that he would lose accuracy for speed, or that deep down it was frightening to be so high up in the air, was not even clear to him.

“And you’ve been working with spirits? Do you think you’d ever aspire to become the Alivilda Aesir? Or do you have other goals and ambitions?”

His cousin was clearly at a pivotable point with so much potential to become what he desired, and Brent was genuinely interested in the young man’s future ambitions.

[Samuel]

Home for the Holidays

Samuel never guessed he'd be excited to return home. The city had so many secrets left, so many unexplored alleyways, so many opportunities, and he’d rather enjoyed the freedom it had offered. But that was before Jasper had told him they’d be flying home and instructed him, rather pointlessly, not to let go when they’d saddled up and taken off. The capital was swiftly reduced to a mere dark splat, like spilled ink on a blank page dwarfed by the sheer size of the Myrkvior forest surrounding it. Within bells they passed over the monumental Ashara Citadel, the impenetrable fortress home of the Ragnari, root and centre of countless legends. He wished they could stop there, have a look around, but Jasper assured him they’d get in trouble if they had no business there. Besides, the whole family was coming to celebrate Svarielle and if there was one time of the year they couldn’t afford to be late, it would be now.

Even after several trials of flying, landing, camping and flying again, Samuel couldn’t get enough of being airborne. As soon as they took off the weight of the world was lifted, pulled out from under them, leaving all the worries of mundane life behind on the frozen soil. Still, he had to admit the boat trip up to Railea had been much more comfortable. Sitting on a Sleipnir for bells on end stiffened the bones, and despite being accompanied by his brother, Samuel could hardly catch any sleep when they camped. Every noise could be a Grendel, or worse, a Lothar who’d come to steal him away and sell him into a life of servitude. Even wrapped in his warmest clothes and with the hood of his fur-lined, woolen cloak drawn over his head, he could hardly keep warm in their tent unless he scooted up close to Jasper like a childish coward.

Asatia was still wide awake when they finally arrived in Alivilda, near to midnight the day before Svarielle, and showed little restraint in welcoming her children home. Jasper got off lightly with a few kisses, but he was near smothered to death before a voice cut through the air. “Sweetheart, give the boy some air.” The voice was relaxed and so unlike the accusatory tone of his father Samuel had become used to that he looked up to make sure it really was his dad.

“C’mere,” his dad beckoned with a grin. What had gotten into him? Aside from a barrel of honeyed mead of course. Still, Samuel took the chance to tear free from his mother’s embrace and let out a yelp of surprise when Lynond Sr. picked him up by the waist and slung him over his shoulder like a bag of corn. “Dad!” Samuel protested, but it was already too late. Lynond kicked the double doors to the family hold open with one leg and announced his presence with his booming voice. “Look what I found for tomorrow’s roast!” The hall wasn’t filled yet, but a good chunk of the family had arrived early and halted their preparations to look at the prey Lynond had caught for the traditional roast. Thankfully Hatenia and Aurelius had already gone to bed, and while Bryil at least attempted to hide his sniggering, the rest of the family showed less restraint.

The following morning came far too soon, though he noticed he’d been cut some slack as the rest of the family was already milling about when his mother directed him to a hot bath. She wasn’t usually strict on appearances, but Svarielle was an exception and no child of hers could hope to reach the cinnamon buns downstairs without being thoroughly washed and dressed in their finest. Dressed in a thick, red hand-me-down tunic with faded golden lining Samuel sauntered downstairs, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and silently thanking whoever had invented leg wrappings, for the stiff Vhalar winds could still occasionally be felt inside. He’d almost made it downstairs when a familiar figure blocked his path.

“Hey, look who it is,” Aurelius grinned devilishly at him.

Samuel tried to ignore him and duck under his outstretched arm, but Aurelius caught him. “Not so fast sleepyhead. We had a deal, remember?” Oh he remembered alright. The package Aurelius had dropped at his feet when they'd worked to repair the Ardeichy wall hadn't been a box of chocolates exactly. Only coins and a note with clear instructions. Either he’d bring back a choice selection of special herbs from a shifty peddler, or Aurelius would make his life hell in ways best left to the imagination. “So…?” Aurelius insisted, bringing his face uncomfortably close.

“It’s in my pillow.”

“You better not be lying.”

“I’m not, it’s all there, and this contact of yours gave me a damned hard time for it too.”

Aurelius narrowed his eyes. “What about Jaz?”

“Didn’t notice a thing,” Samuel answered stoically. He hadn’t liked keeping secrets from Jasper, but if his older brother ever found out he’d been smuggling a selection of rare and potent herbs from the capital to feed Aurelius’s urges, the both of them would never hear the end of it.

Aurelius’s eyes bore into his, searching for the faintest hint of a lie, but when he detected none he lifted his arm to let Samuel pass and snuck up the stairs moments later.

Glad to be rid of his troublesome brother, Samuel stepped into the mess hall and took a deep breath. The air was rich with the smell of cinnamon buns, stewed pears, creamy butter, honeyed tea and many other delicacies in various stages of preparation. All together the whole of the extended family easily filled the tables circling the central firepit. Several family members whose names and faces he hardly remembered turned their heads to greet him and one of his younger nieces decided to throw a handful of hay in his face before he managed to shake the girl off. His face lit up when he spotted his brother Hatenia setting up a board game at one of the tables, next to where Brent and Jasper were seated and he was quick to join them.

“Happy Svar,” he greeted them. Jasper looked healthy and well-rested and Brent, who always had an air of wildness about him, seemed genuinely at ease among the Ardeichys. Hatenia, on the other hand, nearly exploded with enthusiasm at seeing his older brother safely returned and immediately started to rattle off all manner of stories about what had happened while Samuel was gone. “...did you really get to ride on a Sleipnir?”

Samuel shot a telling look in Jasper’s direction, then grinned. “Yeah.”

“Oh man,” Hatenia answered, his voice dripping with a mixture of jealousy and admiration, “I wish mom and dad would’ve sent me to the city.”

Lynond said the same, Samuel recalled. Admittedly he’d liked the city more than he’d thought, but his true home was and would always be here, in Alivilda, among his own people. “I guess you should piss off dad more then,” Samuel said. “Or ask Jasper if he can take you for a ride, since Brent’s clearly too scared to go,” he grinned. Brent might try to hide it, but Samuel had little doubt that the man had a fear of heights. Sometimes he could just tell with people, see what they were really feelings, merely by looking at them.

Hatenia’s eyes widened as he sent a pleading look at his older brother. “Yes please? Please?”

While Brent and Jasper were distracted, Samuel took the opportunity to grab a meat pie and saved some crumbs in his pocket for his hedgehog pet.

[Jasper]

Jasper looked a bit embarrassed as pronouncing his aunt’s name wrong even thought he hadn’t seen her that often and spoken with her even less. It was still no excuses for mispronouncing her name wrong. Luckily Brent didn’t dwell on the ship up and the conversation moved on.

The brown eyed Aesir was a bit surprised that Brent was unaware of Laquin. Then again it had been a few arcs since the event and Jasper had been away in the capital since shortly after the event. Also based Jasper’s own memory Brent wasn’t here at that time so it was completely possible that no one bothered to mention it. Jasper expression shifted from embarrassed to open and friendly. “Laquin is in deed a Sleipnir.” Jasper could hear the awe in his cousin’s voice. Jasper didn’t really push The story though figuring that if Brent wanted to know more he would ask more. Jasper was proud of Laquin but he didn’t like to brag about how he got the magnificent creature.

Jasper nodded his head as he listened to Brent comment about the difference between Alivilda and Raelia. Jasper agreed mostly with what Brent was saying. Especially about Alivilda. “It is one of the reasons I love returning home for celebrations. Despite the fact I have lived away I am still part of this community and welcomed with love as if I haven’t been away.” He paused and said. “I agree that the capital is rather cold in general but I have noticed that neighborhoods can be close. The area where I live I am close with my neighbors but that I think is unusual.” He said with a shrug. “Even then it doesn’t have the connections you find here between people.”

Jasper moved with the conversation as they returned to Laquin. Jasper paused for a moment before answering even as he accepted one of the pies. It was at that point he noticed that Samuel has come down from his room. He nodded at his brother even as the youngest of the Ardiechy boys came up to Sam. Jasper continued, “Gorm” anyone who lived in Alivilda knew of the semi retired Ydlair. “Insisted I go with him for my Hesterfor tests into the forest. While in the forest I found myself in the tree above a fighting Grendel and Sleipnir. In one of my smarter moves I jumped out of the tree and helped the mare kill the Grendel.” Jasper paused a frown crossing his face as it always did at this point in the story. “The Sleipnir mare didn’t survive the fight though and ended up dying as Laquin was born. I couldn’t leave the foal there so brought him home and raised him.” Jasper said with a shrug at that point. There was more to the story of course but that was the parts Jasper was comfortable telling. The most obvious hint at the facts there was more included the moonstone ring he wore on his right hand which indicated some one who passed all three of the ladies tests. Also as was custom in Alivilda he wore on his wrist as part of his Embea a mark for each test he had passed. There were a total of five marks.

Jasper’s eyes took on a gleam when asked about flying. “It is a wonderful thing to feel the air rushing past you. To move through the air so gracefully. The world is below you and you can see it and marvel at the beauty of the place. The beauty of the streams that interest the trees.” Jasper said grinning his focus coming out of the skies as Brent expressed his desire to stay on the ground. Jasper shrugged his shoulders having long since learned that not everyone wanted to fly. “I agree that there are many things that flying could make a map maker miss. It would be difficult to see trails from the air as the canopy would cover the paths. Also understanding distance would be difficult from so high up. You would have to make sure your elevation would be the same every time you went up.”

Jasper could hear his two brothers act this point talking about flying as well. The older men’s conversation had moved on to something else. “I would love to come back to Alivilda when I have learned more. I don’t think I will get that position as it usually is assigned to a Lore Master and I ama Shaman. Shaman don’t usually get assigned here because the people here usually have enough sense not to irritate the spirits. If I advance enough though I can set up anywhere I want to and I would love to come back.”

It was then that the brothers fully intruder pointer conversation. Jasper looked down at Hatenia as he begged for a ride. Jasper smiled lovingly down at boy who he had helped raise from birth. It was hard to balding that he was as old as he was. “I think I can convince mom to let you go up but it will be her choices and it will need to be a bit later. If she says yes let’s plan on this afternoon. Even if she says no to the flying we can go for a ride.” Jasper said giving his brother’s shoulders squeeze. He smiled apologetically at Brent for the interruption.

[Brent Forrester]

Brent listened to Jasper’s story of his Sleipnir between bites of the warm melt-in-your-mouth meat pie. It was an impressive tale, to say the least. Part of him envied his younger cousin for his courage and skill, but the more rational part of his brain reminded himself that all types of people are needed for a thriving community. Even the boring logical and systematic types.

It was clear that Jasper thrived in flight, and for that Brent was decidedly happy for him. It was common for sons of fathers to take after their father’s trade and it was a shame when those sons didn’t have the same passion for it as their father. But both Jasper and Brent had chosen their own paths. Paths that they were not only good at, but felt strongly about.

Brent gave a nod at his cousin’s rationale about the role of the Alivilda Aesir. “Alivildans are not only hard working, but we have common sense too. I bet it’s the Raelians who struggle most with the spirits and need the help.” The cartographer’s lip twitched in a smile. Although as much fun as it was to make jabs at the capital city, there was something to be said about the grandeur of the place.

It was then that Brent got a quick taste of his own medicine. He scowled at Samuel’s assertion that he was too afraid to fly on the Sleipnir. Yet at the same time, he didn’t deny it outright. Both of the young boys were practically begging to ride the winged horse, although it sounded like Samuel had already done so.

“Now if I were your mother, I’d make sure that both you boys ate your vegetables before going off on some flying adventure!”

Brent grabbed a couple of carrot sticks, and on a whim he shoved them into his upper lip so that they hung down like big orange fangs. With a muffled voice he added, “Or else the grendels will get you!”

With a growl, he ran after the boys with his hands curled like claws. If through his hobbling he managed to catch either of them, his target would be to tickle them under their armpits.

[Strange]

Thread Review

Brent

Brent Forrester

Skill Points: +15 (cannot be used for magic)
Magic XP: None.

Renown: +5 (for attending the family gathering)

Injuries/Overstepping: None
Wealth Points: None
Loot: None

Skill Knowledge:

• Socialization x 3
• Interrogation x2
• Caregiving: Making children laugh by pretending to be a monster

Non-Skill Knowledge:

• Slepnier: Flying horse of the Melrathi military

Notes: n/a
Skills Used: Socialization (novice), Interrogation (unskilled), Caregiving (unskilled)
Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
Player Word Count: 1,317 words.

Jasper

Jasper

Skill Points: +15 (cannot be used for magic)
Magic XP: None.

Renown: +5 (for attending the family gathering)

Injuries/Overstepping: None.
Wealth Points: None.
Loot: None.

Skill Knowledge:

• Mount (Sleipnir) x3
• Socialization x1
• Etiquette x2

Non-Skill Knowledge:

• none requested.

Notes: If you'd like to claim up to 6 knowledge for this thread, please PM a staff member upon return to do so.
Player Word Count: 1,428 words.

Samuel

Samuel

Skill Points: +15 (cannot be used for magic)
Magic XP: None.

Renown: +5 (for attending the family gathering)

Injuries/Overstepping: None.
Wealth Points: None.
Loot: None.

Skill Knowledge:

• none requested.

Non-Skill Knowledge:

• none requested.

Notes: If you'd like to claim up to 6 knowledge for this thread, please PM a staff member upon return to do so.
Player Word Count: 1,333 words.

This was a fun premise, and I enjoyed the various cultural inclusions like bringing the pies along with them for the celebration, the dancing, etc. It added nice touches to the scene and I liked that it just started right off with Brent and Jasper bumping into each other and talking, while they could have stayed distant for a couple more rounds of post and interacted with NPCs on their own. The small talk came across as very believable for small talk! Just the right amount of polite family banter without getting too tense.

In contrast, Samuel's post almost felt like a cameo because of how self-contained much of it was but it added an interesting angle to the scene with the various NPCs and dialogue! I would have liked to have seen more interaction between the PCs, but then it probably would have happened if the thread had continued on.

Good job and enjoy your rewards!

PM me if you have any questions, issues or concerns.

Total Word Count: 4,078 words.

Review Request Link: viewtopic.php?p=148101#p148101
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