Moonday afternoon, Fireseek 3, 591 Common Year

That afternoon Rain sticks to the barracks, intending to stay there until her shift later that evening, playing the flute and just hanging out with anybody else there. After a little bit Vaskez and Hex, both suited up in their leather armor and carrying their weapons invite Rain to join them on the parade grounds for some weapons practice.

There are other warriors out there from some of the other squads, and the wooden weapons are also on a rack available to any who choose to use them. Clerics of Heironeous and St. Cuthbert are also on call. Over on the far side of the parade-ground some of the knights are jousting and practicing their swordsmanship.

“I’d like to take you on,” Vaskez says to Rain. “See if your tricks will work on me.” Vaskez crosses to the other side of the practice-ring, laid out with stone markers and readies herself, shortsword in her right hand and a dagger in her left.

To Vaskez’s invitation, Rain says, “Sure” in a friendly manner. Rain grabs a wooden and padded practice shortsword for her left hand, a practice dagger for her right hand, and a second practice dagger to put in her belt. Since Vaskez is attempting to defend against what seems to have become Rain’s signature move, Rain chooses not to alter it. Even though she believes herself ready for it, Vaskez is still not prepared when Rain moves in on her and hurls her dagger from just a few paces away. Like the others before her, Vaskez finds herself flat on the ground in a daze.

Once Vaskez is attended to, Hex demands to give it a try. He fares no differently. In fact he is knocked out cold and a cleric has to be called for.

To their credit, both are ready to continue. But this time they ask Rain to show them her tricks so they can emulate her. After awhile they believe they are getting the hang of it and so wish to try it out on each other. Hex and Vaskez enter the ring. Vaskez is soon the winner, as she gets her throw in just a fraction of a second quicker than Hex, and once again Hex is sprawled senseless in the ring.

“I think I’ve had enough,” says Hex when he has recovered. I’ll try that throw a few more times against the practice dummies, and then I’ll try it against you two. Thanks Rain.”

“Yes, we really appreciate it,” adds Vaskez.

Rain responds, “Any time, I am glad you found that helpful.”

After a few minutes of idle chatter while they take a break from their exertions, Vaskez looks over at Rain and asks, “Say, I hope you don’t mind me asking something a bit personal, but is there anything going on between you and Aramek, or are you just friends?”  

Rain responds casually, “No, I have nothing going on with Aramek, nor with Snoop for that matter.” They laugh and Rain smiles briefly at her own jest and then continues, “Aramek is a good man, a definite asset to our squad, it is unfortunate that most of us have let our fears and pre-judgment of him and his craft get in the way of getting to know him for who he is.”

Vaskez says, “Well I have nothing against him. I’m from the Flan tribes, and we respect those born with the touch of the arcane and those who actually go out to study it, but we are not especially afraid of them like some are,” she glances at Hex with a teasing smile. “Our own druids can be quite fierce when need be. Father Gar, for instance, is not a druid, but a priest of Obad-Hai all the same. He is one to be wary of. They are not evil, and some are actually very good-hearted, but above all they serve the Balance and not any mere human interest.”

Hex, breaks in to say, “Look, I’m not afraid of Aramek, Vaskez. How can anyone be afraid of Aramek?” he scoffs but then looks up at Rain and quickly says, “Sorry, no disrespect to your friend, but frankly he’s not exactly the fierce world destroying mage of the old tales. Magic and sorcery were what destroyed the ancient empires of the Suloise and the Baklunish, and from what I’ve heard it has destroyed the Great Kingdom as well in more insidious ways. That’s why Keoland forbade the practice of arcane magic for so long, except for a few noble houses and the Silent Ones in their Lonely Tower outside Niole Dra. But Aramek? Meeting him makes me wonder what we were so afraid of, unless there is more to him than we’ve seen.”

Rain responds to their comments, “Heh, Gar… well he freaks me out too, but not ’cause of any abilities or non-human affiliations. And the thing to remember about those ‘world-destroying’ mages you mention, Hex, is that they once were feeble neophyte spell-slingers too – all of them. The trick, for people like us, is to befriend them early on. Then, when they have the power to melt you with their pinkies, you at least have a chance of counting on friendship to save you.” She produces a big evil smile to punctuate her attempt at intimidation.

Hex stares at Rain, trying to work out if she is just joking or proposing a serious long range scheme. “Uh, yeah, that’s not very comforting Rain. But maybe we should buy Aramek a beer sometime.” He looks at Vaskez.

Vaskez vigorously nods her agreement. “Yes, that sounds like a good plan. And here, Rain, I thought your tricks were limited to knife-fighting.” 

Rain smiles slightly at Vaskez’s comment. Rain is very pleased with herself for boosting Aramek’s rep a bit.  Knowing these two I’ll bet this new view of him will spread to the rest of the squad in just a few days. Maybe now he will get some of the respect he deserves.

Hex and Vaskez don’t seem inclined to talk about Aramek anymore, so Rain says to them, “I’m gonna get in some bow practice if you two want to join me.”

“Sounds good,” says Hex, so he and Vaskez follow Rain over to the target range.

Just before Rain and her companions can begin shooting at the targets, Rain spies Aramek hurrying towards them across the parade grounds. He seems anxious. When he gets to the firing range Aramek greets everyone and to his mild surprise, Hex and Vaskez greet him warmly in return. They seem better disposed towards the young half-elf sorcerer than they ever had been previously.

Rain smiles briefly at Aramek’s look of mild surprise at Hex and Vaskez’s warm greeting then offers her own, seemingly ignoring his harried state with a friendly mocking of his arrival late in the day. “Good Morning Aramek.”

Aramek then pulls Rain aside and softly says, “I’m really exhausted but I wanted to let you know that I want to tell you what happened this morning at Master Parwyn’s shop. But I’ve got to lie down for a bit before I fall asleep standing up. I’m going over to the barracks and find a spare bunk. But let’s definitely talk later. OK?”

“Sure, I’ll come and wake you up before dinner. We can talk on the way over to mess.”