Shadows of Corruption

[josh900]

Volhammer Mountain-Breaker stood over his kill with a delighted grin, a Buck Deer with a healthy rack of antlers laid at his feet with an arrow pierced nearly all the way through it's rib cage, both lungs punctured and it's throat slit to finally put it to rest. The quiet air around him was quickly disturbed as he yelled out praise to Korth for his successful hunt, he had made camp not too far from where the Deer had fallen, and so with such a short walk, Volhammer once again called out to Korth, but this time for strength, and lift the deer up and over his shoulders, carrying it on his back as he walked back to his small campsite.

 

It was not too long until he desperately wished for the sleds that his tribe used to carry their kills back to the village, as every step he took became more demanding than the next under the weight of the deer. "Perhaps I was mistaken to ask for strength then O' Mountain-Father, but instead I should have asked for wisdom, for surely there was a better way to do this." He mused with a laugh.

 

Soon though, he knew that the gods were watching, for through the fog he soon heard the unmistakable sound of lowlander speech nearby and it was not long until their shapes were made plain before him. "Hail lowlanders!" He called out in his heavy accent. "I hope that you have not yet eaten, as I suffer greatly beneath the weight of my hunt and hope that you would wish to share it's meat with me as I do not wish for any of it to go to waste. I may be a large man, but not so large as to eat a whole deer myself!" He said in the hopes that they would agree. It was his experience that travelers rarely ever dismissed an easy and free meal after all.

[FreemasonGamer]

Abraham was seriously considering Wind's offer to hunt down some rabbits for breakfast when an oddly welcoming Avvar called out to their group through the morning's mist. Turning his attention towards the highlander's direction, the former Templar was utterly surprised by the sight of a massive fur-clad warrior emerging from the foggy veil with an impressive deer hoisted over his shoulder. It was as if the Maker Himself had heard the party's concern regarding a meal before He sent this vast harbinger to their aid. Perplexed and somewhat apprehensive about such coincidences, Abraham nodded to Volhammer in a greeting gesture.

 

"Hail, my friend. Your arrival is most opportune, as we were about to send our Dalish associate out in search of game ourselves. Come, join us while I get a fire started, so that we might resolve your concern of wasting such a magnificent bounty." The venerable warrior replied amiably, sparing a reassuring expression to Celeste and Wind before he gathered some firewood to make a bonfire large enough to cook such a prize.

 

Some might have chided Abraham as naive or careless for welcoming a complete stranger into their fold so quickly, but he figured it was best not to disrespect an Avvar's rare generosity by refusing such a convenient breakfast. As he settled an armful of pine and oak into their camp's cold fire pit, Abraham also safely assumed that such a brute—in spite of his burly, intimidating appearance—shouldn't be more difficult than perhaps an ogre to subdue with the combined provoked efforts of a Enchanter, Templar, and Antivan Crow.

 

"I am Abraham Rohart, kind Avvar, and these are my companions." He soon introduced himself to their unexpected visitor once a growing fire began to ward off the chilling fog shrouding their small camp. Following his statement, the former Templar glanced to his mentioned companions, hoping they'd be willing to introduce themselves. The last thing Abraham wished for at the start of his day was a brawl instigated by suspicions towards highlanders.

Edited February 26, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[AurianaValoria1]

As if answering her inquiry, the huge man wandered into their camp right on cue, generously offering breakfast from the kill slung over his shoulders. Despite her hunger, however, Celeste's curiosity was greater, and she couldn't stop herself from chattering away once he seemed to pose no threat to them.

 

"You are of the Avvar?" she asked, blue eyes wide, "How wonderful! I've always wanted to know more about your people. Please, share our camp and tell us from where you hail and what brings you to these parts! I'm Celeste, by the way. Celeste LeVenoisel, Enchantress of the Circle of Magi. Pleased to meet you!"

[Macman253]

Wind was in the process of picking up his bow when the burly Avvar wandered into the camp, the Elf leaned on the shaft as the Templar spoke to their guest. He smirked lightly and nodded in greeting.

 

"Just call me Wind." He said as he introduced himself, "A fine Buck... lay it out." He said, gesturing to the nearby log and drawing one of his crow blades. "I'll butcher it." He added with a calm smile, he figured it would be best to entertain the newcomer. He had met Avvar before and found them to be very interesting people.

[josh900]

"Good, good!" Volhammer said with a smile, moving closer to the camp before setting down his catch so that the Elf could begin preparing it. "It would seem then that the Mountain-Father has been watching over you all as well. These morning fogs are very thick, it is easy to lose your way while chasing after breakfast." He laughed as he sat down on the ground.

"I greet you then, Abraham Rohart, Celeste le..le... Celeste." He greeted the two, finding Celeste's last name to be far too foreign for his tongue. Finishing with the two humans he turned to Wind with a perplexed look. "Wind... If you are the son of Korth and the Lady of the Skies then I am a Nug!" He laughed heartily. "Tis an unfortunate name truly, as I imagine it is broken many times a day." He said, trying to stifle his laughter. "I suppose it's something.. elven related that I'm not aware of or something."

 

"But yes!" He spoke after a loud exhale. "I am of the Avvar people, I was visiting my kinsmen a few days ago before setting down the mountainway again. I am once again setting out in search of a great tribe of warriors that roam the lands. I seek to join them and learn from them so that I may become a greater warrior still." He said with his head raised high, the matter was after all, one of honor.

[FreemasonGamer]

Crouching beside the fire to warm himself, Abraham nodded thankfully to Wind after the Dalish elf offered to clean the Avvar's kill for them. The aged warrior listened closely to the guest of their modest camp, showing sufficient interest in Volhammer's words while exhibiting a reserved demeanor that heavily contrasted Celeste's almost immeasurable anticipation and curiosity. When the Avvar made a few joking remarks concerning Wind's arguably generic name, Abraham also struggled to refrain from laughing, his face glowing red as his thick beard rustled to the sound of his throaty chuckles.

 

"It is always admirable to perfect your art, no matter what it is," The former Templar soon noted in agreement with Volhammer's honor-bound ambition to seek out other Avvar to train alongside with. "You say you wish to become an even greater warrior, so I can only reckon that your martial prowess is already respectable? Judging from the size of that deer, you must be quite familiar with the hunt as well."

 

Casting his gaze to Wind momentarily, Abraham also said to the elf, "If you need any help, by the way, do not hesitate to ask."

 

While Abraham didn't expect a Dalish elf heralding from the Antivan Crows to easily fall prey to the typical inclination most city elves felt towards introversion and committing themselves to tedious tasks, the venerable gentleman saw his elven companion as an equal and hoped to convey such in a subtle manner. After all, he had met more than a few elf mages and servants during his career as a Templar who had regrettably succumbed to the trials most Fereldens subjected them to, becoming flighty and socially inadept as a result.

Edited February 28, 2016 by FreemasonGamer

[Macman253]

Wind smirked at the remark as he sat down, he flipped the blade around in his fingers and turned the deer onto it's back. He sank the blade into the crotch of the deer and gave it a hard jerk towards it's ribs, cutting through the hide and muscle with ease. He flopped the deer over onto it's side and let the guts spill out. After a few moments he cut them free and slid his crow-blade into the sheath on his leg and took up the deer across his shoulders and walking to a nearby tree.

 

The elf tossed the deer down, rummaged in his pack for some rope, tied up the deer's legs and ran it over a strong branch to lift the deer, head down for skinning and butchering.

 

"Thank you Abraham but I am quite familiar with cutting and skinning a deer." He said with a smile as he ran his blade around the nape of the neck to remove the head, since he was not taking any trophies he did not care. After a few minutes he had skinned the deer, leaving only the legs intact. He laid the hide out across the log, bloody side up before going back to the deer and cutting away flanks of meat, setting them in two separate piles, to be cooked and to be cured for rations later.

 

"Ir abelas, ma vhenan." He spoke in Dalish as he cut away a large strip of belly-meat and laid it out for the Avvar, "Take it, the hunter gets the most delicious meat to honor his skill." He said with a smile, his forearms covered in deer blood but he had cut away the finest meat, leaving only the things that could not or need not be used.

Edited February 29, 2016 by Macman253

[AurianaValoria1]

While the others worked, Celeste coaxed the embers of their fire to blaze a little higher, setting a good portion of the fresh pile of wood alight with a snap of her fingers. As they bantered, she merely listened, though when Wind began butchering the deer, she could not help crinkling her nose in distaste. She remembered her mother dressing smaller animals when she was little, but never something this big. The sight of blood and entrails did nothing to help her appetite.

[josh900]

Volhammer beamed proudly at Abraham's comment. "Indeed I am, one of the finest that my tribe has seen in some years. Bu I do not believe it to be enough! One must always find new ways to better one's self, and I believe that joining these warriors, Grey Wardens they are called, would give me a strength worthy of legend!" He spoke boldly before turning down Wind's offer.

"No no, please you all take your pick of meat, I will have what is left. This is my gift to you all. Let it never be said that Volhammer Mountain-Breaker is the greedy sort!"

[FreemasonGamer]

Abraham's emerald green eyes lit up at the mention of Grey Wardens, and he leaned forward curiously as he spoke, "Grey Wardens, eh? Their path is without a doubt a respectable one, although probably the most dangerous throughout Thedas. They would benefit greatly with more numbers here in Ferelden, too... At any rate..." His statement then trailed off into wordless oblivion as the topic of Grey Wardens reminded him of their trio's recent encounter with the Darkspawn, which sent a slight shudder down the venerable gentleman's spine.

 

"At any rate," He repeated, the inspired glint in his evergreen gaze suddenly replaced by a gloomy shadow, "Those insufferable Darkspawn deserve a proper thrashing, and Maker praise any Warden capable of delivering such punishment."

 

Feeling sour as the grim memory began to nest amid his thoughts, the former Templar soon remarked to the Avvar with a hint of optimism, "What say you, Volhammer, about accompanying us on our journey to Redcliffe? There'd surely be some information there that could direct you towards those Wardens, and most could agree that traveling the roads alone these days is a risky gamble."