"I will look for some whistles, sir. A shout might do as well, but a whistle might be easier, and more likely to pierce a sleepy mind. It might also sow a bit of uncertainty into any adversary. Also, I can't whistle that loud with my fingers", 'Tace' replies with a smile that might be missed under his mask.
During the following day, 'Tace'falls into the usual routine of trying to blend in as a soldier, reluctant to do anything out of the ordinary in case it draws unwanted attention. The lack of signs of people, either regular travellers or those hiding in the mountains, does niggle at him. Something had caused the folk from Ledge Lodge to abandon it, but surely whatever it was couldn't be common knowledge enough to perturb traveller's from taking the road through the mountains. And if they had been watched before, why stop? Or were they just doing a better job of remaining unseen now.
When the Commandant voices similar concerns during their break for lunch, he nods in agreement. "I don't believe whoever was watching us would stop either, Ma'am. Perhaps they are doing a better job of remaining hidden from our sight. That of course does not explain the absence of travellers, unless of course we have been left for the moment because we are well armed soldiers".
The thought does not sit well with him, but he hopes that they will be left alone for the rest of the journey as well.
During the evening camp, 'Tace'foregoes entering the water as well. He is too disconcerted by the current situation to risk removing his armour and weapons, it just doesn't feel safe. He does however take the opportunity to move away from the others and wash his face unseen. And of course fill up his waterskin.
Before everyone turns in, he will ask the Sergeant, "What happens when we reach Pyorre, sir? Will we accompany the Commandant to her meetings, or will there be some personal time? Will we be required to stay in barracks?".
He will once again take first watch, and then trance in a suitable place to provide some level of awareness during the subsequent watch. Ideally he would be within some portion of cover from prying eyes whilst maintaining good visibility himself.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Can Arren whistle with his fingers loudly? Even, he can. Odd, he can't. 20
(the roll was a 6, in case editing breaks the roll)
Arrenlistens quietly as Lieutenant Tireur speaks, surprised at how deeply he's thought about sleep and trance. He'd heard the Drow mention missing a good night's sleep before, but he never guessed his interest ran this deep. As Walnuts speaks, Arren searches his memory, trying to recall whether he's ever heard a story like that—either as a child or later on. (ooc: Rolled History and got a 1, so ... nope!)
"Aleshi's torment? I had never heard of that before. I suppose it's just a story. I didn't realize so many Elves here share the same tale, though. But even if it is only a story, and even if it doesn't explain why two peoples who never knew each other until recently both learned to trance… it does make me wonder."
The Half-Elf pauses. "I don't know many others like myself. I never knew my father, and my mother's family are all Human. I've never given much thought about the extent of my Elven side, and well ... no one ever really told me much about it." He hesitates, then adds more quietly,"But now you've made me wonder: could I learn to trance? Maybe not in the same way as Elves or Drow. I'd probably still need my full eight hours, but what if part of that could be spent in that half-conscious state?"
Like Walnuts before, Arren doesn't really expect him to have an answer, but his curiosity is clearly piqued. After a pause, he ventures, "How did you learn to trance, anyway?" He runs a hand through his hair as he asks, a little embarrassed. "It feels strange to be asking about something Elves learn in childhood at my age. But, " He gives a small shrug "better to ask than to remain ignorant, I guess"
The Sergeant feels as uneasy as the rest as they continue their journey, seeing no one—not the figure the Corporal had spotted watching them, nor anyone else."I'd imagine the story of the monster could stop a few travelers coming from Ersta toward Pyorre. That woman and the boy we met after leaving Tus had heard of it, and that was still a couple of days before reaching Ersta. With the town being just a few hours from the mountain pass, I could see the story still carrying weight. But ... even if people believe a monster is still on the loose, I don't imagine it would keep everyone away. And from Pyorre to Ersta as well? And it certainly doesn't explain the empty lodge." He shakes his head, as lost as the others about what is happening.
Arren notices how the Commandant keeps eating very little. His eyes flick from her, to the food, then back again. He scratches the back of his head slightly in quiet frustration, but says nothing. Why bother? She hasn't listened before. And it will only get harder the closer they draw to Pyorre.
"Our services as bodyguards aren't necessary while we're in Pyorre. So, if all goes as usual, the Commandant will likely give us a few free days. I'm not sure how many exactly. She hates it there, so she tries to keep visits to the capital short, but we might even get six or seven days. We’'ll be free to do as we please, and staying in the barracks won¡t be required—though she might ask us to report from time to time, just to make sure everything is alright."
Arren pauses. "You'll want to visit your family, right? And to rest, of course. As much as I like Choco and Mocha, I can't deny I’ll be happy to not be on that carriage for a few days,"he adds with a smile.
As they talk, Arren will share with Tace what Walnuts told him about trance and sleep. If the Lieutenant had already given tips on how he learned to trance, Arren will ask Tace about them too—perhaps they're the same, perhaps different—but either way, he wants to know as much as he can. He'll take part in the first watch with Tace, and just before turning in, he'll review the tips the Elves shared, and try them for himself. He doesn't expect immediate results, assuming trancing isn't something a person with Elven blood can simply learn in one night. But Arren is determined, and he'll try this each night for a bit before falling asleep, observing whether it makes any difference over time.
(While he'd love to immerse himself completely, this doesn't seem like the proper situation—or the right temperature—so he simply washes as thoroughly as he can from the shore and fills his waterskin before turning in.)
"It has been so long since I have been free to do as I please", 'Tace' replies to the Sergeant regarding the prospect of the time off. "Although maybe that will have to wait if I am visiting family", he adds, trying to cover his deceit with humour.
"What will you do in the capital?", he asks quickly, making sure there is no silence into which the Sergeant can question him further.
He will share whatever he can regarding his ability to trance, being careful not to say anything that might identify where he learned it.
At first, the Lieutenant seems a little confused, but he tries his best to find an answer. "How did I learn to trance? Well... I... My mother, she... Well, I don't quite remember. Now, it comes so naturally, I don't even need to think about it much. I... I guess it is sort of like going to sleep, but keeping your mind awake. I mean, ah... this is difficult to explain. So, our bodies need to sleep, right? The body needs its rest, even the body of some stubborn Human we all know believes this statement does not apply to. Anyway, your body needs to sleep, but your mind doesn't. So, you basically need to lie your body to sleep while staying awake. Does that make sense to you?"
He pauses again, searching around for something that might help him explain, but he doesn't find any and eventually continues without any aids. "It's easiest to do while lying on your back, though I suppose many like doing it sitting once they get used to it. As you're trying to get your body to sleep, it will try to check whether your mind is asleep. Kind of like saying: 'Are you asleep? I'm not going to sleep before you're going to sleep.'" He laughs briefly, then continues. "Ehm. Anyway, you can actually trick your body, though it's hard at first. Make it think your mind is sleeping, and it will go to sleep too. That's basically the state you want to reach. So, you'll be lying there on your back, relaxing your whole body and feeling the tension leaving your muscles when... suddenly your nose itches. Nothing unusual, just a light itch, you can naturally raise your hand, scratch it lightly and make it go away. But! You mustn't do that! That's your body asking: 'Are you asleep?' And if you scratch, you basically confirm that you're not, and you lost this round. You must ignore the feeling. And soon, you'll feel a scratch somewhere else. Or maybe hear a sound, or maybe feel the urge to roll over, right? Don't do anything. You must not move or react to anything. Convince your body it is asleep..."
The Lieutenant keeps describing the process for a little more. Eventually, he describes how the body ends up falling asleep while the mind remains awake. "... and from there on, you just have to pass the time without waking yourself up until you feel rested enough. That is... more or less all, I think. Oh, you also need to keep your mind just busy enough to not... well, actually fall asleep."
((Essentially, he describes the WILD method to induce lucid dreams, except one ends up at a state closer to sleep paralysis than a lucid dream. If this remark doesn't tell you anything, feel free to ignore it completely, or read about it if you're interested.))
Bryn tells of a similar method. The details might not be exactly the same, and he might not tell it in the same way, but the important part is more or less the same.
(OOC: I'd like you to conclude any previous conversations before we continue to the night and the following morning. Don't need to rush them, but I'll post about the night once I see everything from the previous day is done.)
So long since he's been free to do he pleases? Arren's eyebrows lift in surprise. That wasn't the reaction he expected. He's about to comment further when the Elf quickly shifts the subject back to him.
"Me? Well, nothing out of the ordinary. My mother lives in Pyorre, so I'll be visiting her. I might as well consider myself dead if I set foot in the city and don't," he chuckles. "I don't really plan much, since I'm never certain how long our leave will last. I'll certainly spend some time at the training grounds, though. I miss training for the sake of training. Improvement doesn't come just from fighting the occasional bandit." Nor the occasional woman turned into a monster. He doesn't say this aloud, though.
"And… your questions about druids and druidic magic have got me thinking. I don't actually know that much about the place I come from. Maybe I'll take the time to do some reading. Not that I expect to find answers about what happened in Ersta," he shrugs, "but still… I'd like to know more."
For some reason, he finds himself unusually talkative that night. Even to his own surprise, he adds: "It's strange. To miss a place you never really knew, and not feel entirely at home in the place you've spent most of your years." He pauses. "But I'm rambling." He glances at the Corporal. "You're welcome to join me at the training grounds, or when I visit the library, if you end up finding the time."
The thought crosses his mind that he doesn't really know what the Lieutenant and Commandant do during their time in Pyorre. Well, the Commandant works, certainly—but do they visit family? Do they even have family in Dite? "What about you, sir, ma’am?" he asks. "Do your families live in Pyorre as well? Or in Mey?"
(ooc: What would Arren need to roll to notice that Tace is being evasive on purpose? I don’t mean that I want him to catch the deception—just whether he realizes that Tace is asking questions quickly to avoid sharing. If this is determined by Passive Insight, his is 11. That seems pretty easy to beat, so my interpretation is that Arren would never notice Tace doing this. If it is a roll, I got a ... damn... why do I even try? A 3+1. Forget I even said this ¬¬)
At first, Arren is confused by Walnuts and Bryn's explanation of how they learned to trance. But that's probably natural, how to explain something so basic that they've been doing for almost their whole life? Still, Arren takes some of the advice in fairly quickly. For example: sitting. No chance. That sounds far too extreme to attempt at this stage. Better to adjust his sleep routine little by little, so lying down sounds like be the best way to begin.
Not moving or reacting to anything, tricking the body into believing it's asleep. Well, he'll try to to do that. And keeping the mind busy enough not to fall asleep entirely? That's sounds trickier. He considers how he might manage it. Of course, he could try counting sheep, but he doubts that would work for him. Too dull. Better to choose something that requires a little more focus.
Arren thinks for a moment, then decides he could replay the day in his head—step by step, like retracing a patrol route. Faces, conversations, details. A "soldiers trance", he thinks, as he lies down to meditate… or trance… or plain old half-human sleep. Whatever the night decides to bring.
"I am not averse to the idea of training or a visit to the library. In truth I am not sure what to expect when we get to the capital. Kone is not expecting me and it is possible she will not even be there", 'Tace' replies. Give me the library over the training ground.
"Was it the desert or grasslands of Etana you hail from? Do you still have extended family there? Would you ever consider visiting Etana yourself? ", he asks, probing a little. Now that would be something, a visit to Etana. Not that it is possible whilst enlisted. Well, fake enlisted in my case. But that may not last much longer, depending on what happens in Pyore.
He listens with interest to the replies from the Lieutenant and Commandant, wondering if they will speak much about their homeland across the sea.
(OOC: Bryn has asked a few questions of Arren there, but I wouldn't expect it is like an interrogation, more a conversation. I added them all at once to save a little back and forth)
Arren had noticed 'Tace' avoiding topics regarding his family and life out of the army multiple times. This, however, due to his low insight roll, he attributes to privacy and nothing else. While it's not uncommon for soldiers to tell each other about home while they've got nothing better to do, it's also not uncommon to find those who don't like to share for whatever private reasons, or those who take longer to open up.
The Commandant, hard at work at the moment - as always - ignores Arren's question. But given the mostly quiet night and the short distance between them, you're all certain that she heard every word.
Walnuts, meanwhile, doesn't mind sharing a little. "A family? I do, but they remained in Mey. Haven't seen them in..." He makesa humorous show of counting on his fingers a little before losing count. "A long time. But we Drow live long, and it's not strange not to see a family member for what would be a long time in Humans' or even Elves' standards. Can you imagine staying in the same house with the same people for four hundred years? I love my brothers, but it's easier to love them when I'm not with them, you know? In any case, I always write a letter home when we get to Pyorre, after reading their last letter. But I suppose I'll need to do so no longer, eh? This time, I'm meeting them in person, too."
Arren, please make a Charisma saving throw to see how well he can force himself to ignore the sensations his body sends him, and an Intelligence saving throw to see how well he can keep his mind awake.
"Closer to the grasslands, though the dunes weren't far. I could see them from our window, and sometimes we'd wander close enough to play in the sand."Arren gives a small smile. "I liked how the wind cut patterns in the dunes."
When the question of family arises, he picks a piece of firewood from the pile and tosses it into the fire. "Oh, I'm sure we've family there still. Human, all of them. They didn't take kindly to me being born with pointed ears."His voice hardens slightly, then eases as he adds, "Yes, I'd like to see more of Etana someday."
Arren listens to Walnuts with a small, appreciative chuckle when the Drow jokes about staying home with the same people for centuries. Arren had never known the feeling of a larger family, not in his later years on Katto, at least. "Must be nice," he says, then quickly adds, "seeing them again, I mean."
'Tace' listens to the Sergeant explain where he is from and the attitude of his people towards non-humans, noting how foreigners would have got a bad reception. I wonder what was different about his mother.
"Your mother is obviously more open minded than some, sir", is all he says, in a kind and complimentary tone.
When the Lieutenant reveals his own family would be in Pyore, he asks, "Are they here because you are soon to retire, sir?".
"Here? No, no. They're still in Mey. I'll be meeting them there," the Drow replies. "I'll be bidding farewell to you all when we reach Pyorre. Depending on when the next ship departs, I might stick around while you're there, but when you leave the city, it'll be without me. My time in Dite wasn't unpleasant but in the end, there's no place like home."
"Quite so, sir. I was aware you were leaving of course, but didn't think it would be so soon", 'Tace' says thoughtfully. "Would it be inappropriate to ask you to show me how your firearm works before you leave us, sir", he asks curiously, having never seen one in the flesh until he met the lieutenant.
"Your mother is obviously more open minded than some, sir", is all he says, in a kind and complimentary tone.
At Tace's words, Arren raises his eyes from the fire, and the Elf can see a spark of gratitude in them. But then this expression fades, and Half-Elf looks away. It is clear the compliment has stirred something more. Something Arren isn't ready to say aloud.
Whether it's that, the Lieutenant's reminder of his plans once they reach Pyorre, or a combination of both, the Sergeant grows quieter. He readies himself for his short watch before turning in.
"I will look for some whistles, sir. A shout might do as well, but a whistle might be easier, and more likely to pierce a sleepy mind. It might also sow a bit of uncertainty into any adversary. Also, I can't whistle that loud with my fingers", 'Tace' replies with a smile that might be missed under his mask.
During the following day, 'Tace' falls into the usual routine of trying to blend in as a soldier, reluctant to do anything out of the ordinary in case it draws unwanted attention. The lack of signs of people, either regular travellers or those hiding in the mountains, does niggle at him. Something had caused the folk from Ledge Lodge to abandon it, but surely whatever it was couldn't be common knowledge enough to perturb traveller's from taking the road through the mountains. And if they had been watched before, why stop? Or were they just doing a better job of remaining unseen now.
When the Commandant voices similar concerns during their break for lunch, he nods in agreement. "I don't believe whoever was watching us would stop either, Ma'am. Perhaps they are doing a better job of remaining hidden from our sight. That of course does not explain the absence of travellers, unless of course we have been left for the moment because we are well armed soldiers".
The thought does not sit well with him, but he hopes that they will be left alone for the rest of the journey as well.
During the evening camp, 'Tace' foregoes entering the water as well. He is too disconcerted by the current situation to risk removing his armour and weapons, it just doesn't feel safe. He does however take the opportunity to move away from the others and wash his face unseen. And of course fill up his waterskin.
Before everyone turns in, he will ask the Sergeant, "What happens when we reach Pyorre, sir? Will we accompany the Commandant to her meetings, or will there be some personal time? Will we be required to stay in barracks?".
He will once again take first watch, and then trance in a suitable place to provide some level of awareness during the subsequent watch. Ideally he would be within some portion of cover from prying eyes whilst maintaining good visibility himself.
Can Arren whistle with his fingers loudly? Even, he can. Odd, he can't.
20
(the roll was a 6, in case editing breaks the roll)
Arren listens quietly as Lieutenant Tireur speaks, surprised at how deeply he's thought about sleep and trance. He'd heard the Drow mention missing a good night's sleep before, but he never guessed his interest ran this deep. As Walnuts speaks, Arren searches his memory, trying to recall whether he's ever heard a story like that—either as a child or later on. (ooc: Rolled History and got a 1, so ... nope!)
"Aleshi's torment? I had never heard of that before. I suppose it's just a story. I didn't realize so many Elves here share the same tale, though. But even if it is only a story, and even if it doesn't explain why two peoples who never knew each other until recently both learned to trance… it does make me wonder."
The Half-Elf pauses. "I don't know many others like myself. I never knew my father, and my mother's family are all Human. I've never given much thought about the extent of my Elven side, and well ... no one ever really told me much about it." He hesitates, then adds more quietly, "But now you've made me wonder: could I learn to trance? Maybe not in the same way as Elves or Drow. I'd probably still need my full eight hours, but what if part of that could be spent in that half-conscious state?"
Like Walnuts before, Arren doesn't really expect him to have an answer, but his curiosity is clearly piqued. After a pause, he ventures, "How did you learn to trance, anyway?" He runs a hand through his hair as he asks, a little embarrassed. "It feels strange to be asking about something Elves learn in childhood at my age. But, " He gives a small shrug "better to ask than to remain ignorant, I guess"
The Sergeant feels as uneasy as the rest as they continue their journey, seeing no one—not the figure the Corporal had spotted watching them, nor anyone else. "I'd imagine the story of the monster could stop a few travelers coming from Ersta toward Pyorre. That woman and the boy we met after leaving Tus had heard of it, and that was still a couple of days before reaching Ersta. With the town being just a few hours from the mountain pass, I could see the story still carrying weight. But ... even if people believe a monster is still on the loose, I don't imagine it would keep everyone away. And from Pyorre to Ersta as well? And it certainly doesn't explain the empty lodge." He shakes his head, as lost as the others about what is happening.
Arren notices how the Commandant keeps eating very little. His eyes flick from her, to the food, then back again. He scratches the back of his head slightly in quiet frustration, but says nothing. Why bother? She hasn't listened before. And it will only get harder the closer they draw to Pyorre.
"Our services as bodyguards aren't necessary while we're in Pyorre. So, if all goes as usual, the Commandant will likely give us a few free days. I'm not sure how many exactly. She hates it there, so she tries to keep visits to the capital short, but we might even get six or seven days. We’'ll be free to do as we please, and staying in the barracks won¡t be required—though she might ask us to report from time to time, just to make sure everything is alright."
Arren pauses. "You'll want to visit your family, right? And to rest, of course. As much as I like Choco and Mocha, I can't deny I’ll be happy to not be on that carriage for a few days," he adds with a smile.
As they talk, Arren will share with Tace what Walnuts told him about trance and sleep. If the Lieutenant had already given tips on how he learned to trance, Arren will ask Tace about them too—perhaps they're the same, perhaps different—but either way, he wants to know as much as he can. He'll take part in the first watch with Tace, and just before turning in, he'll review the tips the Elves shared, and try them for himself. He doesn't expect immediate results, assuming trancing isn't something a person with Elven blood can simply learn in one night. But Arren is determined, and he'll try this each night for a bit before falling asleep, observing whether it makes any difference over time.
(While he'd love to immerse himself completely, this doesn't seem like the proper situation—or the right temperature—so he simply washes as thoroughly as he can from the shore and fills his waterskin before turning in.)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"It has been so long since I have been free to do as I please", 'Tace' replies to the Sergeant regarding the prospect of the time off. "Although maybe that will have to wait if I am visiting family", he adds, trying to cover his deceit with humour.
"What will you do in the capital?", he asks quickly, making sure there is no silence into which the Sergeant can question him further.
He will share whatever he can regarding his ability to trance, being careful not to say anything that might identify where he learned it.
At first, the Lieutenant seems a little confused, but he tries his best to find an answer. "How did I learn to trance? Well... I... My mother, she... Well, I don't quite remember. Now, it comes so naturally, I don't even need to think about it much. I... I guess it is sort of like going to sleep, but keeping your mind awake. I mean, ah... this is difficult to explain. So, our bodies need to sleep, right? The body needs its rest, even the body of some stubborn Human we all know believes this statement does not apply to. Anyway, your body needs to sleep, but your mind doesn't. So, you basically need to lie your body to sleep while staying awake. Does that make sense to you?"
He pauses again, searching around for something that might help him explain, but he doesn't find any and eventually continues without any aids. "It's easiest to do while lying on your back, though I suppose many like doing it sitting once they get used to it. As you're trying to get your body to sleep, it will try to check whether your mind is asleep. Kind of like saying: 'Are you asleep? I'm not going to sleep before you're going to sleep.'" He laughs briefly, then continues. "Ehm. Anyway, you can actually trick your body, though it's hard at first. Make it think your mind is sleeping, and it will go to sleep too. That's basically the state you want to reach. So, you'll be lying there on your back, relaxing your whole body and feeling the tension leaving your muscles when... suddenly your nose itches. Nothing unusual, just a light itch, you can naturally raise your hand, scratch it lightly and make it go away. But! You mustn't do that! That's your body asking: 'Are you asleep?' And if you scratch, you basically confirm that you're not, and you lost this round. You must ignore the feeling. And soon, you'll feel a scratch somewhere else. Or maybe hear a sound, or maybe feel the urge to roll over, right? Don't do anything. You must not move or react to anything. Convince your body it is asleep..."
The Lieutenant keeps describing the process for a little more. Eventually, he describes how the body ends up falling asleep while the mind remains awake. "... and from there on, you just have to pass the time without waking yourself up until you feel rested enough. That is... more or less all, I think. Oh, you also need to keep your mind just busy enough to not... well, actually fall asleep."
((Essentially, he describes the WILD method to induce lucid dreams, except one ends up at a state closer to sleep paralysis than a lucid dream. If this remark doesn't tell you anything, feel free to ignore it completely, or read about it if you're interested.))
Bryn tells of a similar method. The details might not be exactly the same, and he might not tell it in the same way, but the important part is more or less the same.
(OOC: I'd like you to conclude any previous conversations before we continue to the night and the following morning. Don't need to rush them, but I'll post about the night once I see everything from the previous day is done.)
Varielky
So long since he's been free to do he pleases? Arren's eyebrows lift in surprise. That wasn't the reaction he expected. He's about to comment further when the Elf quickly shifts the subject back to him.
"Me? Well, nothing out of the ordinary. My mother lives in Pyorre, so I'll be visiting her. I might as well consider myself dead if I set foot in the city and don't," he chuckles. "I don't really plan much, since I'm never certain how long our leave will last. I'll certainly spend some time at the training grounds, though. I miss training for the sake of training. Improvement doesn't come just from fighting the occasional bandit." Nor the occasional woman turned into a monster. He doesn't say this aloud, though.
"And… your questions about druids and druidic magic have got me thinking. I don't actually know that much about the place I come from. Maybe I'll take the time to do some reading. Not that I expect to find answers about what happened in Ersta," he shrugs, "but still… I'd like to know more."
For some reason, he finds himself unusually talkative that night. Even to his own surprise, he adds: "It's strange. To miss a place you never really knew, and not feel entirely at home in the place you've spent most of your years." He pauses. "But I'm rambling." He glances at the Corporal. "You're welcome to join me at the training grounds, or when I visit the library, if you end up finding the time."
The thought crosses his mind that he doesn't really know what the Lieutenant and Commandant do during their time in Pyorre. Well, the Commandant works, certainly—but do they visit family? Do they even have family in Dite? "What about you, sir, ma’am?" he asks. "Do your families live in Pyorre as well? Or in Mey?"
(ooc: What would Arren need to roll to notice that Tace is being evasive on purpose? I don’t mean that I want him to catch the deception—just whether he realizes that Tace is asking questions quickly to avoid sharing. If this is determined by Passive Insight, his is 11. That seems pretty easy to beat, so my interpretation is that Arren would never notice Tace doing this. If it is a roll, I got a ... damn... why do I even try? A 3+1. Forget I even said this ¬¬)
At first, Arren is confused by Walnuts and Bryn's explanation of how they learned to trance. But that's probably natural, how to explain something so basic that they've been doing for almost their whole life? Still, Arren takes some of the advice in fairly quickly. For example: sitting. No chance. That sounds far too extreme to attempt at this stage. Better to adjust his sleep routine little by little, so lying down sounds like be the best way to begin.
Not moving or reacting to anything, tricking the body into believing it's asleep. Well, he'll try to to do that. And keeping the mind busy enough not to fall asleep entirely? That's sounds trickier. He considers how he might manage it. Of course, he could try counting sheep, but he doubts that would work for him. Too dull. Better to choose something that requires a little more focus.
Arren thinks for a moment, then decides he could replay the day in his head—step by step, like retracing a patrol route. Faces, conversations, details. A "soldiers trance", he thinks, as he lies down to meditate… or trance… or plain old half-human sleep. Whatever the night decides to bring.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
"I am not averse to the idea of training or a visit to the library. In truth I am not sure what to expect when we get to the capital. Kone is not expecting me and it is possible she will not even be there", 'Tace' replies. Give me the library over the training ground.
"Was it the desert or grasslands of Etana you hail from? Do you still have extended family there? Would you ever consider visiting Etana yourself? ", he asks, probing a little. Now that would be something, a visit to Etana. Not that it is possible whilst enlisted. Well, fake enlisted in my case. But that may not last much longer, depending on what happens in Pyore.
He listens with interest to the replies from the Lieutenant and Commandant, wondering if they will speak much about their homeland across the sea.
(OOC: Bryn has asked a few questions of Arren there, but I wouldn't expect it is like an interrogation, more a conversation. I added them all at once to save a little back and forth)
Arren had noticed 'Tace' avoiding topics regarding his family and life out of the army multiple times. This, however, due to his low insight roll, he attributes to privacy and nothing else. While it's not uncommon for soldiers to tell each other about home while they've got nothing better to do, it's also not uncommon to find those who don't like to share for whatever private reasons, or those who take longer to open up.
The Commandant, hard at work at the moment - as always - ignores Arren's question. But given the mostly quiet night and the short distance between them, you're all certain that she heard every word.
Walnuts, meanwhile, doesn't mind sharing a little. "A family? I do, but they remained in Mey. Haven't seen them in..." He makes a humorous show of counting on his fingers a little before losing count. "A long time. But we Drow live long, and it's not strange not to see a family member for what would be a long time in Humans' or even Elves' standards. Can you imagine staying in the same house with the same people for four hundred years? I love my brothers, but it's easier to love them when I'm not with them, you know? In any case, I always write a letter home when we get to Pyorre, after reading their last letter. But I suppose I'll need to do so no longer, eh? This time, I'm meeting them in person, too."
Arren, please make a Charisma saving throw to see how well he can force himself to ignore the sensations his body sends him, and an Intelligence saving throw to see how well he can keep his mind awake.
Varielky
"Closer to the grasslands, though the dunes weren't far. I could see them from our window, and sometimes we'd wander close enough to play in the sand." Arren gives a small smile. "I liked how the wind cut patterns in the dunes."
When the question of family arises, he picks a piece of firewood from the pile and tosses it into the fire. "Oh, I'm sure we've family there still. Human, all of them. They didn't take kindly to me being born with pointed ears." His voice hardens slightly, then eases as he adds, "Yes, I'd like to see more of Etana someday."
Arren listens to Walnuts with a small, appreciative chuckle when the Drow jokes about staying home with the same people for centuries. Arren had never known the feeling of a larger family, not in his later years on Katto, at least. "Must be nice," he says, then quickly adds, "seeing them again, I mean."
CHA ST: 6+3 = 9 / INT ST: 19+1 = 20
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
'Tace' listens to the Sergeant explain where he is from and the attitude of his people towards non-humans, noting how foreigners would have got a bad reception. I wonder what was different about his mother.
"Your mother is obviously more open minded than some, sir", is all he says, in a kind and complimentary tone.
When the Lieutenant reveals his own family would be in Pyore, he asks, "Are they here because you are soon to retire, sir?".
"Here? No, no. They're still in Mey. I'll be meeting them there," the Drow replies. "I'll be bidding farewell to you all when we reach Pyorre. Depending on when the next ship departs, I might stick around while you're there, but when you leave the city, it'll be without me. My time in Dite wasn't unpleasant but in the end, there's no place like home."
Varielky
"Quite so, sir. I was aware you were leaving of course, but didn't think it would be so soon", 'Tace' says thoughtfully. "Would it be inappropriate to ask you to show me how your firearm works before you leave us, sir", he asks curiously, having never seen one in the flesh until he met the lieutenant.
At Tace's words, Arren raises his eyes from the fire, and the Elf can see a spark of gratitude in them. But then this expression fades, and Half-Elf looks away. It is clear the compliment has stirred something more. Something Arren isn't ready to say aloud.
Whether it's that, the Lieutenant's reminder of his plans once they reach Pyorre, or a combination of both, the Sergeant grows quieter. He readies himself for his short watch before turning in.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra