• Graded • [Ishallr] Unto The Breach V: Delivering The Goods

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Darius Baer Bottom
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[Ishallr] Unto The Breach V: Delivering The Goods

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Arc 720, 52nd of Ashan
With a final stroke, Darius lifted the oars and pulled them into the oarlocks, the wooden shafts scraping as they returned to their respective homes. From then on, the Lady Jean was quiet in her approach, save for the few droplets of freezing water that fell from the bow and the soft inevitability of gentle waves lapping at her hull as she scythed through the water.

That only lasted for a matter of trills, however, as she was soon nudging herself against the docks at Ishallr. The wooden pillars that supported the pier were coated in a layer of ice, but each one was tall enough that the seafarer could tie a rope around it and not fear that his boat might drift away of its own accord.

Darius stepped out of the rowboat, his movements cautious as he sought the more firm but slippery pier. He could see that a sled had been left on the snow outside a nearby shack, and the crampons he had affixed to his boots bit into the ice as he cautiously made his way between his boat and the small vehicle. With each trip, he carried supplies, and more than once he had to adjust his positioning so that the weight he carried didn't throw him off balance.

Eventually, he was able to transfer everything that he had carefully lowered into his boat back in Scalvoris Town: one sack of Scalvoris Green Sand and another of Faldrass Sand that he'd collected from the beaches; one crate of medical supplies from the Order of the Adunih; and two crates of vegetables and other ingredients that he'd brought from Cally's. Each one was heavy to carry on its own, and the bearded blond was grateful for the sled. The idea of having to haul each item across Ishallr didn't bear entertaining.

Gloved fingers worked at the ropes on the sled and pulled at them, until they held the goods firmly in place, at which point he tightened them into knots. Then, slinging the rope over himself and tying it around his waist, he leaned forward, feeling the weight of the sled behind him. He lowered himself and pushed forward with a grunt, his crampons eventually finding purchase in the thick snow, and the sled began to move, little by little, as the human slowly stepped away from the water's edge.
Last edited by Darius Baer Bottom on Thu Dec 03, 2020 9:59 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 424
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            Darius Baer Bottom
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            Re: [Ishallr] Unto The Breach V: Delivering The Goods

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            The snow made a crunching sound as it gave way beneath the weight of Darius' boots, the crampons digging in with each step. Behind him, the sled scraped along the ground, leaving two lines trailing behind hi in the snow, either side of his footsteps.

            The sled was, he realised, a great tool. It enabled him to move a quantity of goods that he couldn't dream of carrying on his own.

            But it was also a deadweight, and a complete slave to gravity. If Darius needed to travel up a slope, the sled would do all it could to hold him back. More than once, he lost his balance and tripped, and on one occasion, he was unable to catch himself before sliding to the bottom of the rise, from where he was forced to repeat the uphill endeavour while brushing away an unwanted coating of snow from his clothing.

            But he also found that the opposite was true: when he encountered downward slopes, the sled was only too happy to make its way down of its own accord. On the more aggressive slopes, Darius found himself trying to manage its descent - lest it career out of control - but on the more gentle ones, he was able to get some rest, sitting on the sled and letting it carry him closer to his destination.

            The Ishallr Caves appeared all in an instant as Darius navigated his way around the base of a steep hill. He stopped when he saw them, the noise of the sled slowly grinding itself into silence as he felt a stabbing jolt in the pit of his stomach.

            He had been there before. It had been a harrowing experience, but it had also been where he'd first met Faith Augustin, and if it were not for her, he might never have had reason to return.

            Darius leant forward, forcing himself to resume his journey, and the sled begrudgingly complied. By the time he dragged the vehicle into the entrance of the main cave, he could feel a sheen of sweat beneath his layers of clothing.

            He sat on the edge of the sled and was still trying to catch his breath when he heard approaching footsteps accompanied by a solid thunk with every second step. The seafarer didn't need to look up to know that it was an armed guard wielding a halberd - he recognised the noise from his first visit to the caves.

            "You're wanting access to the portals, I take it?" the man spoke.

            "Aye," Darius nodded without looking up.

            "On whose authority?" questioned the guard.

            "Faith Augustin's."

            Darius reached into his clothing and pulled forth a parchment, which he held out.

            The guard looked down at the letter, taking a moment to skim read parts of it, but Faith's name was at the bottom of the missive, and that seemed to satisfy his curiosity, for he gave a quiet grunt of approval.

            Only then did Darius look directly at the sentry, rising to his feet. The guard looked up and made eye contact with the new arrival and his demeanour changed. The man's eyes widened with sudden recognition, and if it was at all possible to do so when already freezing in the cold, his complexion appeared to whiten.

            "You're...the s-sailor," the man stammered. "From the U'f-frek's D-duty..."

            "Aye."

            "K-Kale..."

            Darius nodded. He took no pleasure in the man's recognition of him. The guard had known Captain Kale. It was the captain who had led Darius into the caves during his first visit, but it was Faith who had brought him back out.

            The guard said nothing more, but he returned the letter and stepped aside. Whether it was the authority of Faith's letter, or simply what the man had witnessed before, Darius didn't know. But it mattered not. He had been granted access to the Eclipse Portals.
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                      Darius Baer Bottom
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                      Re: [Ishallr] Unto The Breach V: Delivering The Goods

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                      Although Darius had tried to ignore its significance, there had been a heavy burden weighing him down. For a dozen trials, he had borne a responsibility not only to the people of Storm's Edge, but to faith Augustin, who had entrusted him with this most sacred of tasks.

                      There was still much to do, of course. His rowboat-load of supplies wouldn't last long, and he had no means of getting larger quantities to Rharne.

                      Even so, as each crate and sack was removed from the sled and sent through the portal, he had felt a cumulative amount of weight leave his weary form and disappear into the ether.

                      It was such that he had found himself feeling almost lighter than air as he'd left the caves, the empty sled providing little resistance as he had effectively bounced with each step back to the small dock.

                      And now, as his oars dipped into the icy water, the splashing of freezing droplets punctuated against the comparative silence of the unladen Lady Jean resting in the water, he was able to feel a sense of satisfaction.

                      His shoulders and legs ached the most, but there was probably not a single muscle in his body that had not been forced to work hard to deliver the supplies. But in that moment, with the rowboat floating gently on the Hollow Sea, none of them seemed to mind.

                      With his back to Scalvoris Town, the seafarer lifted his gaze towards the icy sentinel that loomed above him.

                      Ishallr stared back down at him, its frigid form dominating the view with a white noise like a silent sentinel. The sea breezes that would throw themselves against the cliffs and get caught in the caves howled back at him, as if yearning for him to return to its frozen shores.

                      The seafarer shook his head gently, as if in reply, resisting the siren call, though he doubted he could do such a thing forever. Ishallr was the home of dunking; it was, to sailors, the closest thing to sacred ground. He had experienced things there that might never be repeated.

                      Darius knew he could never tame the giant iceberg, but he liked to think that in braving the Ishallr Caves not once, but twice, that he might have earnt its respect.
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                                Doran
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                                Re: [Ishallr] Unto The Breach V: Delivering The Goods

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                                Darius:

                                Knowledge:
                                Skill Knowledge:
                                Endurance: Enduring the difficulty of ascents can often lead to the comparative ease of descents.
                                Field Craft: Different footwear is suitable for different terrain.
                                Field Craft: Crampons can help with traversing the snow.
                                Field Craft: Walking in snow will leave tracks.
                                Field Craft: Sleds are useful for moving heavy items over snow.
                                Logistics: Sleds can be useful for carrying a lot of equipment at once.

                                Non-Skill Knowledge:
                                Location: Ishallr: Eclipse Portals

                                Loot: -
                                Lost: -
                                Wealth: -
                                Injuries: -
                                Renown: 10, for delivering goods to Storm's Edge.
                                Magic XP: -
                                Skill Review: Appropriate to level.
                                Points: 10
                                - - -
                                Comments: I enjoyed the description of Darius’ arrival at Ishallr. You described the icy island – and the challenges that using a sled involves – very well in my opinion.

                                It’s frustrating when your sled tries make its way down of its own accord (Did Darius ever try to run after it?), but sitting on the sled while it carries you a bit closer to your destination more or less automatically sounds like fun!

                                I couldn’t help but pity the man who guarded the portals a little. I wonder if he has to stand there, in the cold, all trial long!

                                In either case, the people of Storm’s Edge will definitely appreciate the supplies!

                                I really liked the last sentence. I agree that Darius might have earned the iceberg’s respect!

                                Enjoy your rewards!
                                word count: 233
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