Eastward, Ho! (solo)

[Faylon Kwanda]

31st of Fall, 511AV [Waking in the morning refreshed Faylon still felt a heavy weight on his mind. He’d come back to Denval since travelling abroad for roughly a season altogether but now he knew his time was coming to an end in the town where he was raised. His Father and he had talked about it for nights on end previously and he had assured the old man that he would come back. He would keep in touch. His Father was the only family he had left in all of Mizahar so leaving him behind wasn’t easy but Faylon was a man now and he had his own goals, wants and desires away from here whereas his Father had settled and did not share these things anymore.] [Waiting in his bed for what seemed like an eternity Faylon knew it was later than usual and that his father had left for work at the smithies. Maybe Faylon had subconsciously slept later so that he could avoid seeing the old man before he left but he couldn’t wait in bed forever. When he couldn’t procrastinate any longer Faylon would rise up onto his elbows and then slowly move out of bed so that he could dress himself in breeches and a dull tunic, neutral in color, and prepare to pack his belongings so that he could leave once again.] [Nostalgic for a moment he let his mind wander before moving out into the main room of the small familial home and towards the hearth where an iron pot with some porridge was left behind for him as breakfast. Dishing it out into a bowl he’d take it to a small wooden table with two chairs and sit while he ate. The porridge wasn’t that warm now and it was mostly tasteless but it was filling and Faylon didn’t care what he ate as long as he didn’t have to leave on an empty stomach. He stared across at the empty chair his father would usually sit in while taking mouthful after mouthful of the porridge, imagining that the man was there looking back at him, and silently he had already begun to wonder if he ever would see the old man again. It could be the end.] [Spooning out more of the porridge he’d eventually finish and collect the bowl he ate from before moving to a small basin for washing and cleaning the dish he had used along with utensil. As he finished Faylon looked around the house and decided that before he left there was still a bit more work that could be done. He’d take the Axe left out for chopping wood and leave for the outside with it, the sun hitting his eyes and causing him to raise his hand and shield them momentarily, before he moved to the woodpile.] [As he’d done many times before Faylon would move to the woodpile and take blocks of wood from it that he stood on end on a chopping block. With the Axe in hand then, held right hand over the left, he’d raise it over his head before bringing it down on the different blocks of wood to split them in half. Nothing to it really. Faylon could usually chop a block of wood in half after a single blow from the axe falling onto it, sometimes it took more but not often, he didn’t have a technique but this was essentially very basic work that didn’t require a lot of skill. By the time he had made it through a dozen blocks of wood his arms had started to tense as well, tightening from the constant repetition and weight behind each fall of the Axe, blood was circulating through him a bit faster too and he felt the warm rush through his arms as he worked. That warm sensation was actually comforting.] [Chopping through as least three dozen pieces of wood Faylon would have finally set the axe down, head first, and leaned it against his hip while turning to look at the pile he’d cut and wiping his brow with the back of his hand. It would be enough for several nights and ensure the old man kept warm for awhile. He’d take the axe then and put it back inside the dwelling before moving back to the pile of wood.] [Crouching down by the pile Faylon took wood with his right hand and stacked it onto his left arm as high as he could while ensuring it remained reasonably balanced. Then, after he’d stacked the wood in his arm, he’d stand back up and trek into the home where he moved to a far wall near the hearth and piled it against that wall. Organizing it so that the wood raise against the wall and wasn’t in danger of tipping over he’d continue to do this until he was finished with the wood outside.]

[Faylon Kwanda]

[Once he’d finished with the wood outside Faylon stopped to take a look at the home he was raised in. It wasn’t very big and it was common but to him it had been quite the palace when he was just a child, in a sense he was wishing he was still just a boy when he looked at it, but shaking his head he moved back inside and began to make the last of his preparation. With wood stacked against the back wall and everything else already in order Faylon didn’t much else to do besides pack all of his belongings and head out towards the docks.] [His belongings were mostly basic. Pairs of clothing for a few days as well as toiletries and utensils that he would place into a backpack. He took enough food for a week knowing he would need to pay for more on the journey but this was a small matter in his opinion. He had a Spy Glass that he’d acquired in his travels, one of his stranger possessions, that he placed in the backpack alongside the rest of the items making sure that he put it out of the way and that it was somewhat cushioned in case the backpack were ever dropped. The Spy Glass wasn’t delicate but it had several pieces that were more prone to being damaged than others and that Faylon had no idea how to replace.] [Backpack filled he would move to the corner of the room where he had slept and take the suit of Studded Leather Armour he’d set aside some time ago. It had been collecting dust since he was back in Denval. Taking a rag Faylon would attempt to clean it off as best he could. Wiping it down before giving it a second look to ensure that everything on it was still in order. Satisfied with the armours condition Faylon would undo the leather bindings on the side before lifting it up over his head and sliding it onto himself where it would sit as comfortably as it had the last time he wore it. The armour was a bit stiff to move in initially because it had sat unused for such a length of time but rolling his shoulders and bending his arms Faylon would have felt it slowly start to loosen up before long and allow him to move a bit more freely.] [Next was the cloak he’d worn while away. Made from a wolf’s fur. It was comfortable and kept him partially dry in the rain. He pulled it over his shoulder and laced it together so that it stayed in place falling from shoulder to about mid thigh. When he’d finished with it Faylon thought he must have looked like he belonged out in the wilds again but he wasn’t leaving for them.] [Footsteps carried him back out into the main room of the home where he took his Longsword, sheathed and resting by the door, in his right hand before fastening it back over his belt on his right hip where he could draw it easily if he ever needed to defend himself. His eyes settled on the plain iron ring that he wore on his right hand as he did this, a family heirloom passed down to him from his father and to his father from his father before him, it was nothing extravagant to look at but its sentimental value made it priceless to Faylon who wore it well. After he’d looked at it for what seemed like several minutes Faylon picked up his feet again and left the home.] [No note. No letter. His father already knew he would be gone by the time he returned in the evening so there was nothing else that needed to be said.] [Stepping out into the sun once again Faylon would shut the door behind himself and move away from the home. Walking the streets of Denval on his way to the docks he’d pass several familiar faces and offer those who spoke with him a fond farewell for now. He wasn’t the most well known in Denval but more than a few recognized his face and knew him to be an amiable sort of individual. He took the arm of some of the men he knew and held it firmly before releasing and continuing on his way. Above him the skies betrayed that it might rain later in the day but Faylon hoped to be onboard a ship by then and beginning his next journey.]

[Faylon Kwanda]

[Navigating the streets of Denval it didn’t take a lot of time before Faylon was departing down onto the docks. He passed the Stranger’s Welcome on his way there and saw several new arrivals entering it for a drink which caused him to smile faintly wondering if he would be as much a stranger as they were the next time he ventured back to Denval. Footsteps came easily as he moved down the docks. His eyes were alert trying to seek out anyone he recognized that might be able to assist him in booking passage on one of the ships that were travelling back in the direction of Avanthal. At Avanthal he would need to find another ship that would take him the rest of the way to Zeltiva.] [Observing his surroundings Faylon would have seen one man disembark from a barge who seemed to have some rank over his peers and approaching him would have said...”Hello, Friend. Spare a moment of your time?”...which caused the man to look back at him with a bit of curiosity, likely due in part to what he wore, before replying...”Aye but make it quick. I have work to do.”...which had caused Faylon to smile briefly, he wanted to make this as quick as possible in all honesty. “My name is Faylon Kwanda.”...he started by saying before continuing on...”I’m looking to book passage to Avanthal if you have any room on your ship.” Nodding his head the man Faylon was speaking with jerk his head back towards another man and say...”Go and talk with Burt. He handles that type of thing.”...then he was on his way leaving Faylon to move towards the next man, Burt as his associate had referred to him.] [Introductions were mostly the same only after Faylon had told Burt his name the man had went on to say...”Well you look able bodied. We could use a man to help with some of the labour onboard the ship and I see you wear steel. Always good to have another arm in a fight. I think we have a place for you.”...it was just what Faylon wanted to hear but he knew it couldn’t be that simple. Burt and Faylon would exchange a few more words before settling on a decent price for room and board during the travel back towards Avanthal where the vessel was headed. Negotiating was a particular strong suit of Faylon’s but he would have added...”Labour and an extra sword in case you need it seems like a pretty good deal for you too Burt. I’m no slouch so you won’t be sorry.”...it had caused Burt to laugh from his stomach and counter...”No, I can see you’ve worked before but suppose all we get is your labour as there’s no guarantee we’ll need your sword. I’ll tell you what. You work hard and I’ll take you for a little less. We’ll talk about your sword if you ever actually have to use it.” Even though he didn’t necessarily want to agree Faylon felt as though he didn’t have much choice so he would have said...”Done.”...and both men settled with a firm handshake even though Burt was smiling to himself the entire time as though he had gotten the better end of the bargain.] [Nodding his head Faylon would have asked...”When we do we leave?”...before Burt moved on to speak with another man. He’d hand Faylon a note with something scribbled on it and say...”You can take a barge to the ship now if you like. Show that to the men you meet onboard. Either way we’ll be departing in two or three bells.”...then Burt was moving away and discussing what must have been business with other men that had approaching him. Moving away Faylon didn’t see any reason to waste time and taking a look up at the buildings lining the outskirts of the docks he would have moved onto the barge that Burt had indicated to him.] [Disembarking from Denval the trip from the docks to the vessel wasn’t that long but the waters were rough causing Faylon to crouch down so that he could maintain his balance. He watched as Denval grew smaller from the barge as he moved away on it. Looking towards the skies once and watching how clouds had begun to appear overhead and move across them slowly, blocking out the sun a time or two before the golden rays pierced back out into the open once again, as he moved away. As the barge made neared the ship he’d be sailing on Faylon would find his footing once again and stand straight from where he had been crouched before taking a rope ladder upwards where he was greeted by several members of the crew. Letting them see the note that Burt had scribbled for him once man would direct him to quarters bellow deck where he could wait before someone found him to give him his duties after the ship began to sail away in a few bells time.]

[Legion]

Thread Award Faylon Skills: Bodybuilding +3, Negotiation +3 Comments Per your request, deduct 10 gold mizas from your ledger for passage to Avanthanl. That is discounted due to labor. Nicely written post. We're sorry to see Faylon leave Denval! Come back some day. Feel free to PM me with questions or concerns.