quest log | wilder training

[faileas]

Who: Those who signed up for the High-Risk Quest "Wilder Training"
When: 08/09 to 08/12
Where: A camp on the south-western edge of the Wilde.
What: From the quest information itself: "Outside of the recruitment, the Wilders are also offering training for anyone who'd like it regardless of bonds and experience. They'll be taken into a safe, slightly infected area in order to hone skills of magic (both Witch and Monster based), how to handle different weapons available, have lectures on things to look for in the field, and finally a test to see what they've learned. No notes allowed."
Warnings: None in the log post itself; if anything comes up, let us know, and we'll make sure to add it here.

The Way There

The training camp party gathers just outside of the city's walls before the sun begins to rise; once heads are counted and everyone is accounted for, Yvette Tressa - the same Witch who led the expedition into Smugha Cave - will start the march through Dead Man's Land, following the river. It isn't quite dark at this period of dawn, the bare landscape painted a washed-out blue by what small light there is, and as the sun settles into the early morning sky they reach their first destination - the edge of the Wilde. Rowboats large enough to fit five or six people (or a few significantly larger people) bob gently up and down where they're tied, the runes marking around the area marking it as protected by a barrier; keen eyes will notice these are the same as what the Wilders and the Coven have been setting up around Smugha Cave.

The party is herded into the boats and sent up the river into the Wilde, the boats gently rowing themselves against the current. The trees of the Wilde have slowly, almost imperceptibly, been shifting to a new color as summer turns into fall outside of it: browner and fully dead, with fewer leaves hanging from their branches, as if winter has finally come. The air is also significantly cooler the deeper they row into up the river, the breeze a sharp string of cold when it blows, and several Wilders shiver despite their being used to it. The journey is a quiet one, the river ducking out of the Wilde when the sun is at its highest point - the area is changed from the familiar fields around Aefenglom around this small bend, with dozens of flowers waving their faint scent in the still chilly breeze. No two flowers look the same, but the boat ride doesn't stop there: it continues back into the Wilde, leaving the sweet smell behind them.

The sun is still visible where they dock, noting it as a little later in the afternoon; further ahead, the river splits two ways, and it's to the left side the party will be guided. As they come upon the split's left side, the trees begin to thin in a way similar to the area around Smugha Cave, their branches cleaned up and the start of infection scraped from their sides - and then abrupt barrenness as it becomes clear just what the trees now suddenly missing have been used for: A fortified camp, well-protected by its high, sturdy wooden walls, the tops of them sharpened to a point. As the party draws closer, runes of protection are easy to notice, carved line after line in the thick, wood logs.

Training Camp: Sauf

Located on the edge of the Wilde (the red dot; the navy dot is Smugha Cave, for a point of reference), Sauf is a fairly large camp equipped with all of the basic necessities. Used year-round for various training exercises, Sauf is home to around twenty "permanent" residents - that is, those who have volunteered to stay the year - and otherwise hosts trainees, instructors, researchers, and so on. Look-outs are positioned all around the camp's edge, manned by at least one pair of Wilders, and a large communal fire pit sits in the middle of the camp. The main entrance is on the south side, with smaller ones located on the other three sides.

The north side of the camp is where characters will find their living quarters for their weekend stay: large, sturdy tents designed to hold several dozen people comfortably. Given the Wilde's chill, these are kept toasty and warm through the use of small piles of heat stones similar to the larger ones found in the city during the snow last month. Also on the north side is the mess hall, where characters can get some grub or hang out and mingle with their fellow trainees, mirrorbound and native alike.

The east and west sides of the camp are where the training takes place. Each side has a different function, however: the east side is for more individual-based training, with dummies and moving targets, both magically-repairing, and instructors, while the west side is for arena-based training - that is, fighting one another. Any type of match-up is considered fair and reasonable, and fights go on intermittently over the days, as does betting.

Finally, the south side of the camp is home to the meeting hall, a large stone building; while not currently in use, it remains an important fixture nonetheless. The healer's wards are also located here as two tarped areas that hug both walls, which provides medical help for those coming in or who have been injured during training, and protection for those venturing out.

I. A Primer On Witches


In addition to weapons training - which, specific to Witches, comes in the form of long-reach weaponry such as lances, quarterstaffs, or halberds - they offer instruction in spells that come in handy while needing to defend oneself and others in the Wilde.

• Abjuration 1: Barriers, shields, alarms.
• Abjuration 2: Healing (both lower level and advanced courses), dispels.
• Alchemy 1: Potion-brewing for healing draughts, magic draughts, potions that can cure basic ailments (poison, paralysis, sleep).
• Alchemy 2: Arrays to create on-the-go bombs (palm-sized) of the offensive and smoke varieties, weapons of various types, all from materials able to be found around and on oneself.
• Conjuration 1: Temporary camps (tents and campfires), various magical weapons, food and water (not very filling nor hydrating, essentially as a just-in-case thing).
• Conjuration 2: Living creatures such as animals and insects, a variety from the harmless/watcher-type to more offensively-based ones.
• Divination 1: Scrying on the fly using pocket mirrors, running water as a medium, speaking with animals (sometimes not extremely helpful given their lower intelligence).
• Divination 2: Finding magic via a scavenger hunt, how to enter a dream-like trance to access the subconscious and interpretation of signs found there.
• Enchantment 1: Charm spells that work against either humanoids, Monsters, or animals, which make the target more friendly or a straight-up ally; some target will know they've been charmed.
• Enchantment 2: Strengthening spells such as for physical, mental, or magical power, as well as elemental imbuing for weapons and other objects.
• Evocation 1: Single-target elemental spells and how to control them, particularly fire and ice for the latter, with elements also including earth/stone, water, lightning, and wind.
• Evocation 2: Multiple-target elemental spells with the same instruction and types as above, as well as multiple-target healing spells.
• Illusion 1: Visual illusions (people, animals, items), larger illusions (areas, buildings, bigger varities of aforementioned types).
• Illusion 2: Audio illusions, how to tie them together with visual illusions.
• Transmutation 1: Transforming oneself or one's items and back again, as well as mending minor objects.
• Transmutation 2: Transforming other people or other people's items and back again, as well as how to do it sneakily.

II. A Primer On Monsters


In addition to weapons training - which, specific to Monsters, comes in the form of short-reach weaponry such as swords and axes - they offer instruction in the special traits and perks each Monster has, particularly ones that come in handy when defending oneself or others in the Wilde.

• Arachne: Speed/jumps and web-spinning, either as traps or in use as rope, whip, etc.
• Chimera: Fighting blind and/or deaf to avoid charms, illusions, and curses.
• Dragon: Breath abilities, both how to use them and the finer points of control.
• Fae: Creating illusions and seeing through them, with a heavy focus on landscape and areas rather than creatures or objects.
• Faun: Plant growth, with a focus on naturally revitalizing plants and ones with more offensive uses, such as bomb-nuts and carnivorous flowers.
• Harpy: Singing lessons, as well as flying lessons with the use of wind magic should one have it.
• Merrow: Water magic, with an experimental focus on purifying it for drinking or bathing purposes.
• Naga: Speaking to water and empathizing with it, as well as instruction on the proper and ethical usage of hypnosis.
• Puca: Impersonation practice, with shapeshifting into someone they know or see and mimicking their voice and way of speaking.
• Turnskin: Sense training, particularly smell and hearing, with the use of blindfolds.
• Vampire: Casting thralls, and proper measures to take against the sun.

III. Partnering Up


Skills and spells are both useful while out in the Wilde, but one's biggest asset is their partner - or partners, plural. The Wilders will pick at random two or three people to partner up and do a variety of things in order to build trust and clear communication, such as your ordinary trust-falls or a game of telephone, as well as things that might be a little more on the side of seeing just how far they can go: clothes-switching (you don't know a man - or Monster - until you've walked a mile in their shoes), taking care of an inanimate object together, and being connected to one another for several hours, courtesy of some enchanted pair bracelets that won't allow their wearers to move more than a foot from the other half of their pair.

Outside of that, they'll be offering up the opportunity for those without Bonds to try temporarily Bonding to whoever their eyes land on first (with a quick, non-ceremonial shot of silver liquid), as well as fighting together against other pairs or tamed beasts (with or without the Bond) in the arenas.
IV. A Little Exploration


On the final day of the weekend training excursion, everyone is once again gathered - this time for the test promised to them. It isn't a pen and paper test, however, but one to test how well they've retained the training offered to them. In the early morning, the group will set out north-west of the camp; the path begins well-trod, but overgrowth soon begins to get underfoot. Patches of frost begin to show up as well - perhaps it's the Wilde's odd season at work.

Or perhaps it's something else.

Entire trees are encased in ice, their branches looking like arms reaching out or twisted around themselves; the bark resembles faces, with hair curled to their chins, and while some may have the sinking feeling that appearances might not just be appearances, the humanoids frozen mid-stepping from similarly frosted trees may all but confirm it.

Dryads, frozen in time, the Cwyld dark and trapped beneath the ice - or maybe those are remnants of the fire that was an attempt at culling the infection before it could begin. Some of them are cracked and broken, their limbs lost, while others are perfectly preserved.

There won't be too much time to stop and stare, however; this is a test, and the enemies of the day become apparent:


• Ice wolves. With a chilly bite and a tendency to work in pairs and groups, it's worth doing just the same to take them down. Their paws are black and crusted with mud and Cwyld infection, their eyes bright and unseeing - and though they may be blind, the rest of their senses have become even stronger in response.
• Snow elementals. Large and actually made of a mix of ice and snow, their patches of Cwyld streak across their white bodies - it makes them easy to see in all the white, but gives them some resistance to the traditional use of fire to melt them. They primarily rely on ice spikes and other related magics, ut will throw a heavy punch if gotten too close to.
• Withered ents. Ordinarily peaceful, these normally massive moving trees are as tall as a one-story house due to hunching over from the cold and ice that covers them. Similar to the wolves, their large, gnarled hands are covered in the black of the Cwyld, but only one eye is the blind white that marks infection - the other is hollow and sunken in. Roots and heavy earth shakes are their primary skills, being otherwise slow to move, and they avoid fighting where there are dryads.
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Comments

[fiddlestick]

Well, that's good at least.

[he'll hope that means he's a good guy and not that Caren knows terrible people

Her question startles him]

W-What?! N-No!

[HE'S A POLITE BOY HE SWEARS]

[showsnopiety]

[She knows some very good people, including Elliot. Most of the mirrorbound she's met have been good, honestly.

Still, she makes an amused noise at Elliot's stammering.]

I was going to offer the chance for you to touch. But if you don't want it...

[He's polite, but she also likes to tease.]

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot sure is stammering some. This was the sort of weird situations he's seen Rean get caught up , but never himself. It was one of the few perks of being the less hot (and more gay) friend. Was this karma for sometimes popcorning through his friend's misery? Probably.

He gulps, trying to figure out how to respond.]

Um...W-we really should finish this task first.

[aka he stalling]

[showsnopiety]

Sure, if that's what you want.

[She's a little confused, as seen with the raised eyebrows. How'd she fluster him? She hadn't thought it was flirtatious. Just soft pets.]

[fiddlestick]

[Because Erebonian women are weird Caren. That's how. ]

Y-Yeah... [He clears his throat] Oh, we're almost there!

[The kitchens! He holds open the door for Caren so she can go in. Sure enough, there's some people in there getting started prepping for mealtime]

[showsnopiety]

[And she thought she was plain weird.]

Yes? We've been there before. You can breathe.

[Gosh, she doesn't know what to do with his awkwardness. Bemused, she walked into the kitchen area, looking for the potato or onion pile-something they can chop.]

[fiddlestick]

I-I'm breathing fine!

[He says, in squeaky defense.

Luckily for them, there looks to be a sack of potatoes no one has bothered to peel yet. A quick inquiry of how to ask, and one of the trainers gestures them to that, handing them a couple potato peelers before leaving them to it.

Elliot, having a job to focus on instead of being an awkward dude, relaxes a little. He knows how to peel potatoes at least, and will start on his first one]

Whew, glad we didn't get onion duty.

[showsnopiety]

You squeaked. Like a dog's chewing toy.

[She's not impressed. At least they have scrubbed potatoes and potato peelers. She moves to find a bench or chairs for them to sit in, close together since she doesn't want to be snapped back to Elliot due to the space limit.]

But I'm glad too. While I could do it, I really don't want to end up crying half the afternoon.

[fiddlestick]

Nngh...

[He's clearly embarrassed, his cheeks blushing a little to indicate so. Lucky for them, there are some stools readily available. He thanks her for his stool.]

Y-Yeah, no kidding. People might end up thinking something's wrong with us when we show up with red eyes from crying.

[showsnopiety]

[Poor Elliot. At least she was going to lighten up on the teasing and let him settle without a fuss.

She did make sure the stool was just Close Enough, and started to peel her first potato.]

Not to mention swollen. They might think we've been abused in some way and need to take it out on our teachers.

[fiddlestick]

Oof, yeah. Don't want to give them that impression.

[Rean frets enough about him as it is. But he keeps working on the peeling. After a moment, he'll try to make small talk.]

So do you have a Bond?

[showsnopiety]

They're strong willed as it is.

[She shook her head slightly. She knows how they could make a ruckus.]

Oh, yes I am. With Ignis. Do you know him?

[fiddlestick]

Haha, yours too huh?

[He's glad Caren has good people in her life, even if it sounds like they might overreact]

Oh, yeah! I mean, not well- but we did that maze together! He seems like a nice guy.

[showsnopiety]

Sometimes it feels as if they love nothing more then fuss.

[Because she does stupid things sometimes. She sighs, but perks back up talking about Ignis.]

He really is. He's a much better person then I am-intelligent too. He's also bonded with Prompto and Noctis so-I'm grateful for him taking the risk and bonding with me.

[fiddlestick]

Hehe, I know that one. But it's not always a bad thing. It means they care.

[Though okay yeah, it sure gets embarrassing sometimes with his family]

That's right...I remember Prompto mentioning getting a bond with him too. He does seem like a guy who likes to look after others.

But I wouldn't sell yourself short. You seem like a pretty kind person yourself.

[showsnopiety]

It is but...still.

[She's not used to people caring. It's still a weird sensation.

She still snorts at the mention of her being kind. She continues peeling though, only glancing up once to Elliot's face.]

Ignis does do that-he's very good at looking out for people. I also define kindness as a selfless action or words and...much of my kindness is selfish.

[fiddlestick]

[...Ah. She's one of those]

Aha...honestly, when someone shows me kindness, I don't think about whether their motive is selfish or not. I'm just happy someone did something nice, that's all.

So in my eyes, you're still kind.

[showsnopiety]

[A problem child? Yes. Yes she is.

She huffs out a breath, but her eyes stay on her potato peeling.]

So you wouldn't feel bad if it felt is if you owed something to someone else who did you a kindness? Even if they did it entirely so they could get you into their debt?

[Tricky, tricky slippery slopes.]

[fiddlestick]

Aha, well I usually feel like I owe something to someone who did something nice to me, so no. I wouldn't feel bad.

Unless you're talking about a loan shark situation where the debt is way higher than what the act of kindness was...then that's more of a con than an act of kindness.

[showsnopiety]

Exactly.

[She pointed at him with her peeler.]

It's a problem I've seen with people who are nice. They get pulled into a long con of people using them out of 'friendship', that it's 'okay to repay the favor because they're friends'.

I'm sure you've seen it too Elliot. I'm sure you've seen more of the world then I have, with your skills.

[fiddlestick]

[Elliot pauses, as if taking a moment to think on her words]

...I have.

But not from you. Your deal with me, it isn't a con. If anything, I'm the one who is getting the better half of the deal.

And just now, when you realized I was uncomfortable, you stopped instead of pressing for your own amusement.

I don't know everything you've done in your life, maybe you have done some bad things. But to me, it seems like you have more kindness than you think.

[showsnopiety]

I've done that before. I do that. Press for my amusement. I haven't really made anyone squirm that much lately.

...well, there was Prompto, but that was well intended.

[That's a long story. Ahem. But she sees the point he's making, and she sighs.]

I don't know if you're right but-I don't know if you're wrong either.

[fiddlestick]

[...]

Well...I wouldn't say Prompto's asking for it but...he does leave himself pretty open.

[That boy is OBLIVIOUS sometimes. He might even be worse than Rean. ]

Aha, that's something at least! I'd like to think I'm not wrong though.

[showsnopiety]

He's cute when he's flustered. But he also doesn't really think much of himself overall.

[He's a good boy, really. And he does have soft lips too.

Caren nodded though she still didn't look. But then again it could have been because of peeling.]

Most don't. But in any case- how do you feel about this training camp? Just overall.

[fiddlestick]

Yeah, it seems that way. He's cute, but it never seems to click for him that people find him so...

[Not that, he's that different because he doesn't see himself as particularly attractive, but at least he's gotten somewhere....]

The camp? Um...good question. I think the classes are useful, but I'm not sure how I feel about the Wilders yet.