Otataral, 956th Year in the Time Dying

[albatross]

As Bellephobe watches Ora prepare to spar with Dryzh, she realizes the giantess' broken sword appears to be made out of some kind of flint.

Sure enough, when Ora's sword crosses blades with Fakir's blade sparks fly as flint and steal typically do. Normally flint would shatter under these circumstances, so the blade is likely magical.

Ora starts slowly, introducing Dryzh to her alien style of swordsmanship. The giant is Dryzh's match in strength, but she seems to have about twice his experience with a sword and a deft agility with a blade that is tough to emulate. She is graceful and slow, yet her moves seem to have a subtle quickness to them, turning when they are expected to straighten and dipping when they are expected to rise.

She shows him her moves in slow motion, then has him counter, and then has him come at her with his own techniques, which she then repeats back to him. Ora learns quickly, and is a gifted teacher. She seems only a little surprised at Dryzh's strong parries, and she encourages him to be as forceful as possible on defense. Her own defensive moves are a thing of beauty, despite her shortened sword and Dryzh wonders if the sword is her primary weapon, something about her style suggests she is used to something a little wider. Perhaps the fragment she carries around with her was a shield?

Ora does seem excited about Dryzh's good night vision, noticing that he is able to spar very well by starlight. Time passes quickly and soon the first light of dawn is on the horizon.

As everyone finds places to bed down for the day, or recharge as the case may be, Ora digs something about the size a grave near the spring.

Then she finds Dryzh and motions for him to get into the hole. It is close enough to the spring that Dryzh can see the walls of the hole are wet with moisture and the area is relatively shaded. The air will still be warm in the heat of the day, but the hole will be wet. Ora looks at him expectantly, as if sleeping in a wet sandy hole is a special treat she is offering him. Of course in this seemingly endless desert, it might well be a treat.

[shiivster]

Aki chuckles at the Griffon's tales of the hunt. Yumi is shown and its explained that Yumi is 'little sister' to Aki and not for eating.

She spends the rest of hte travelling time observing and keeping the camels in line and healthy. at the break time before resting during the day, Aki will attend to sores and itches and keep the beasts in a more 'mellow' productive mood.

Yumi sniffs about for edibles from time to time, but settles for a share of the dried meat that Aki shares with her. the Mongoose wants to hunt and needs to hunt, but stays close now because of the odd place they are in. she will sniff out dangers for Aki while the girls sleeps but stays curled up in the girl's arms while i nthe 'sleep stages'

[dakota]

Reluctantly, Dryzh entered the hole, and soon realized the significance of it. He smiled widely at the giantess as he got situated," Many thanks. Dryzh not get sick again in here."

[Dome]

"Its not an order dear one. I'd just like to talk to you and see how you are doing. This planet is quite in hospitable, although the sun seems to be good for you."

[albatross]

After a few more weeks of travel, Ora finally knows enough English to talk to everyone. She is also trying to learn Korean, questioning Aki whenever she can.

In addition to continuing to train with Dryzh, she asks each other person if they would like to spar. She also asks questions about their homeworld(s), about their quest, about their enemies, and especially any fights they have been in. She even asks for re-enactments, so that she and understand exactly what happened in each fight. She is curious about magic as well, and tries to find out as many details as she can about the lost arts.

Ora also starts teaching anyone who cares to listen about desert survival, and identifying the various plants which are edible for people or for grazing animals such as camels.*

While sparring and learning desert survival might not be anyone's first choices of pastime, there isn't much else to do. There is plenty of time for long conversations while riding at night, but they don;t meet anyone else besides the giant and nothing much interesting happens.

O.O.C.:*Anyone who heeds Ora's advice gets a +5% bonus to desert wilderness survival (does not apply to wilderness survival in other conditions). Also, anyone who wants to can trade in one other skill and replace it with desert survival +5%.

[thorley]

Bellephoebe is more than willing to talk about magic with Ora, but is extremely vague about where she comes from (while in another dimension, Dweamor is a secret city) or where she learned it. She will pass on the sparring, but does take an interest in the Desert Survival lessons (although she's not going to trade a skill for them). While doing so she keeps muttering about how this would be so much easier outside of a low-magic dimension.

She will ask Ora about her sword however "That's an interesting blade, I've never seen stone work quite like that. Do you know how it was made?" As a weapons engineer and someone who can make magical swords and such, Bellephoebe is always interested in learning about new kinds of crafts even if violence isn't her thing.

[shiivster]

Aki passes on the sparring, stating 'too much .. too much'. at the moment,she's not sure if her style would make sense to anyone other than herself. she will fight when needed, and right now she's more worried aobut getting stepped on than anything other than a fist of thrown sand.

*she shows much interest in desert survival and comments from time to time about missing the mountains and thick jungles of home. she says little about the nasty place she lived in last. very little trees, stinky and totally unnatural. [aka - city]

[albatross]

Ora smiles at Bellephobe's question, "I made this sword. It is made of a stone found in the desert, far from here. Now that it is broken, I must make another. When we find the right stone I will show you the secrets of its construction. You may make a weapon of it for yourself as well." She laughs, "I know you may be skeptical since my sword broke, but I promise you that only that particular creature can break a flint sword. It is sharper than steel and harder than diamonds."

The giant tells Aki that a long, long ways away on the current path they will one day come to mountains. And after that, forest and then tundra. But that the jungles of this world are the other direction and they will not see them. Ora describes dry, desert mountains with cold peaks and asks if Aki's worlds mountains are much the same.

[dakota]

With Ora's advice on how to help keep from getting as dehydrated again, Dryzh felt better despite the heat hurting his stamina. He gladly took the other's turns to spar with the giantess, and listened to her lessons on desert survival since it was so dangerous for him ( not trading skill though) in exchange for telling his history.

[albatross]

Ora seems to realize something while talking to Dryzh. "Are you from the same world as Aki? As Bellephobe? Each of your descriptions seem different somehow."

[sasqaricious]

Sapphire just stays silent and observes the entire things going on around her. Not having much to say nor the courage to actually say it. Not really talking to anyone unless talked to first.

[dakota]

Dryzh shook his head. "Dryzh come from way far. My people serve another as soldiers many stars away. Caught on world star journey on and meet others there. Not no where they from before."

[albatross]

The giant is often involved in more than one conversation at once, but she finally has the chance to discuss sunbathing with Sapphire.

"How is it you can stand out in the sun all day? I have trained for decades and all I can manage is one day. You must be an ancient child to be able to withstand so much."

[sasqaricious]

Sapphire still shy but realizing from words Romidus said that she should at least try to interact with people.

"The sun is a source of nourishment for me. Even still on this magically dry planet I am still nourished by it. Although my other abilities seem to be waning. But yes ancient I guess would be the term you would use for me but I don't think child is the right word at all. I never had a chance to be a child!" She states with obvious signs of sadness. "I guess part of my curse is the energy requirements I need!"

[Renekin Skywalker]

"We are dimensional travellors." Allen said plainly. "I am from a world similar to, but still greatly different from that of Aki. It did have a shadowrealm that was as barren as this, but no sun there." He looked around. "You don't knwo night from day on those lands."

Allen went quiet and thoughtful, almost mournful, not saying anything more on the subject.