A Meeting on the Road(open)

[Neravarine]

On the road to Balmora, a lone figure walked slowly down the dirt path. Grass stirred when the wind blew, and towering mushrooms easily the size of small trees grew over the open path, providing a small amount of shade. Vintus, clad in his steel armor and wearing his imposing steel helm, clanked as he walked with ease under his incredibly heavy armor. The steel glittered and sparkled when he walked form under the spaces of light from the mushroom saplings... Which didn't surprise Vintus anymore. Morrowind was FULL of strange plants and animals... Some of which Vintus didn't personally like to meet. Vintus then carrassed the hilt on his claymore, smiling in his helm as he felt the comforting warm glow. It wasn't cold like his armor... It was like the sword had a life of it's own. But the carrassing turned to a sharp grasp on the hilt and his steel boots suddenly stopped. There was someone coming... DOWN the road he was heading. Armed too... And you couldn't be too careful.

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku strolled down the road, heading away from Balmora and toward a new horizon! Or something like that... Perhaps a new horizon was a little strong. A new week's-worth of travelling on this endless island fit more realistically. Her parents had told her that travelling as a lone wanderer was dull, but she had just supposed that they wanted her to stay. There was no such luck. Travelling got incredibly boring, especially when Hla Oad seemed so far away... But still, at least she'd be near the ocean again.

The sea, the sea! Haku had missed it so much since she'd left home. And now she'd soon be back. As an added bonus, her brother Hamad had started a new 'branch' as he called it of her father's fishing business, right near Hla Oad. With about a day's walking, she'd be able to visit him, his wife, and their newborn baby. She was actually very excited to see him, and it'd be nice to show someone how well she dealt with living on her own.

Haku's wooden staff made a gentle thudding noise on the ground in front of her, but suddenly the noise stopped. Haku had pulled the staff up into more comfortable-seeming position. It also happened to be her fighting stance. Someone else was on the path and he practically acted as a human cymbal, his armor crashed so loudly. How he ever managed to walk unnoticed, Haku couldn't imagine.

But then again, perhaps he never wanted to go unnoticed. There were some knight-idiots out there who liked it when innocent villagers scurried about because of the imposing figure they cut in their shiny armor. Really, it was unnecessary. Any competent warrior could guard themselves perfectly well without armor on. Armor was heavy, hot, and made maveuvering, and certainly walking, take more effort. Anyone who walked about in it was mad in Haku's point of view. Or she, now that Haku thought of it. A female could be storming about wearing armor as well.

It really didn't matter anyway. Haku needed to move on and she meant no harm. She had little to be stolen; a fair amount a money from the market she'd just been at, some wire scraps to play around with, food from Iwao's wife's kitchen, clothing, and a bedroll. There were plenty of richer fools to be mugged and Haku didn't look like someone that should be messed with.

At the age of sixteen, she stood 5'11' with firm muscles and a stubborn, hardened air to her. She wasn't truly pretty, sort of plain, with the traditional aged wood skin of her people and dark brown eyes. A thin white scar ran from her shoulder to her wrist, a souvenier from some past battle. Many smaller scars crisscrossed her knuckles from swordfighting. Her wiry black hair was braided neatly and pulled back behind her face with a headband. The braids had tiny beads woven into them at random, made of metals of various types. They clinked slightly as she readied herself for who was coming.

[Neravarine]

Vintus narrowed his blue eyes through the slits in his steel helm, trying to find the features of the travelor... or bandit... From far away. Redguard... female... Very young. Was carrying a staff for protection AGAINST bandits most likely. Vintus smiled. He may have looked imposing, but not many bandits walked around in steel armor because of the noise it made.. or carry a weapon of the church. But Vintus wasn't about being quiet, he was about driving evil through with his blade, and this girl was far from evil. Just a travelor... Relaxing his hand from the sword, Vintus took off his helm, causing the raven black hair to tumble out from it's confines, revealing his fair face that seemed to have a glow about it. He walked towards Kohaku with a cautious and slow gait, grieves rattling as he walked through the thick layer of steel on top of his legs with ease, a result from practically running in them for long hours every day, and a result of almost inhuman endurance. When he was close enough, Vintus called out and asked, "How does the day greet you Redguard?" It was a normal greeting, showing that he wasn't an enemy and simply passing through. He was relieved too. Fighting vampires in an ancestorial tomb out in the middle of The Bitter Coast was less pleasant than being with the living.

(That post... Was VERY good. You showed a lot of Kohaku's back story without revealing too much, as well as use the map as a guidline! Thats sharp.
Bravo.. wish I could do that good.
Haceed says hi.

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku finally spotted the noise-maker. Some knight-man... After a quick initial scan, she noticed the claymore strapped to his back. It was made of steel, very fine quality, and was obviously the sword of a paladin. Haku stared. Now that was some nice worksmanship. She barely held herself back from begging the stranger to inspect it.

Speaking of inspecting, his armor was more than fine quality as well. Haku almost fell into a daydream about it. Smithing was her life and even being able to see such worksmanship was rare when you were merely a fisherman's daughter poking around your village's smithey. Still, she had managed to rise up above that. And now she was her own woman! Or... girl. Or something in between. She refused to use the word teen. Teen? What kind of word was that? It sounded like some disease, or a type of chipmunk. Young woman worked just as well.

Shaking her head to rid it of those kind of thoughts, Haku finally realized that the strange man had spoken. And strange he was. His hair was dark black and his skin was pale, though he had the tan of a Imperial who had been in the sun long hours. There had been Imperials in her village, and many at Balmora, but most of them had had varying shades of brown hair. Some had lighter hair, almost white, but these were the Nords. Black hair was rare and often an omen or a blessing.

She was still smiling brightly, and she returned the greeting. "The sun is bright and the day is fine. I am well. How are you?" She took a hand off her staff, settling it back into a neutral position and pulling a stray braid out of her hair.

OOC: *blushes* Oh, thank you. I went over it a couple times, to check spelling and such, and I guess my improvements were worth it. xD Thank you both for the compliment. Vintus is a really interesting character, Nera/Tangle. I've got to ask; how're we going to get him to interact more than just a chance meeting with Haku? xD I've modified her so much that she's barely the character I had on the old site. I think I might keep her and re-do the bio.

[Neravarine]

Vintus had a small smile. "Relieved. Thought you may have been a highway man or bandit for a sec." He then walked closer, without fear, steel glittering from the priests as well as Vintus himself from where they polished it. When he was closer, he tilted his head in slight surprise. "Well... You are very young to be traveling alone. I was going to Balmora to report my success from my recent mission to the Tribunal Temple over there... I saw a pretty vicous pack of nix hounds in the distance take down a guar herd on the way from the Bitter Coast. I have plenty of time though, found and killed my quarry sooner than expected, and I was wondering if you needed an escort. That pack is still hunting back there." Vintus informed neutrally... "By the way, my name's Vintus Severus, paladin of The Nine, at your service mylady."

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku considered his offer critically. Sure, she was young and likely no match for a pack of nix hounds coming at her all at once, but choosing to travel with a strange man was something that wasn't generally encouraged, especially for girls her age. Still, Vintus seemed genuine and she could take care of herself if she needed too. She had Snick if worst came to worst. She patted the grip of her staff absentmindedly as she thought of it. No one would mess with her when Snick was unsheathed.

Okay, so plenty of people would still mess with her. But still, she looked a whole lot more intimidating when she had the two steel sickle blades sticking out of her wooden staff than she did when all she had for protection was a small dagger, a hunting knife, and a supposed wooden staff.

She raised a brow, hoping that she could pull of skeptical as well as Keffin, her older brother could. She had a feeling she just looked stupid, though, and stopped attempting to raise a quizzical brow. Instead, she smiled. It was the easiest position for her face.

Besides, he was a paladin, if he was to be believed. Paladins didn't generally stoop so low as to rob and possibly do worse to a young girl.

"And I Kohaku Tsumiri, smith and traveller. Daughter of Quinza and Territh Tsumiri and your humble travelling companion, if the offer still holds." She beamed, showing off an array of large, white teeth.

[Neravarine]

Good. Vintus personally didn't like the idea of nix hounds feating on her corpse. He nodded, and put his steel halm back on, concealing his face in a souless casing of steel. "Lets get going then." Vintus's voice proclaimed as it echoed from the confines of the helm. As they started to travel, Vintus said, "So you are making a place for yourself in the world? I started the youth program for the Legions about your age, then entered at 19. Good years... But perhaps it wasn't my calling. I joined the temple later, and about a year ago I got shipped here." After walking a bit more, Vintus finally said, "I saw you looking at my claymore, and you said your were training to be a smith. You want to look at it? I don't mind. Be careful though, it's heavy... And enchanted." He said as he unstrapped it from his back while he walked, and handed the massive two-handed blade to her with one arm by it's studded leather sheathe.

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku stepped lightly beside Vintus, eyes bright and staff thumping again. She had to admit that she felt rather bad for the poor man. He'd travelled all that way to Balmora, all to turn round and walk back the same way only an hour's walk from his destination. Haku wasn't sure if she'd have done the same. Well, if nix hounds were involved... Perhaps. But it'd be a close thing. Still, this kind of undying passion to protect the 'weak' ones of the world seemed to be a paladin thing.

Haku immediately launched into a response after his first few sentances. "I'm travelling to gain experience and study the methods of various peoples and places of Morrowind. I was in Balmora for about two weeks, working with a man named Iwao, who taught me some jewelry-making and a good amount of dagger-working. It was very nice there and I was sad to leave. Right now I'm heading to Hla Oad. I'm just going to keep making my way until I finally decide what to do with myself or until I've gathered all the knowledge I can."

"Truthfully, my ultimate goal is to study with the orcs. They're masters with armor and weapons, my personal favorite and specialty. They don't take human apprentices often, but if I try hard enough, I think I could do it. But I need experience first, and thus the travelling."

"The Legions?" she muttered. She looked Vintus over, then decided that it wasn't worth re-mentioning. The Legions were a bit of a tender subject for Haku and her family.

Haku's brother, Tadd, had been arrested by the Legions for two months for supposedly stealing from a shop. A wealthy merchant swore he'd seen Tadd stealing the items, but Tadd claimed that he hadn't. Tadd was known for his rebelliousness at the time and many accepted the man's story, but Haku's family all knew that Tadd had been dating the witness's daughter and that they had broken up about a week before. They also knew how wealthy the merchant was and how desperately the officers in their particular village needed money. No evidence had been found, and most family members drew their own conclusions.

Haku believed Tadd and was outraged by his arrest, but her father firmly believed the man's story and had refused to pay bail for his son. The jail wasn't much of a jail there. Tadd had only had to stay indoors and play cards with his guards for most days, but the injustice had been enough to send Haku into a rare fury.

Her father did not yield, though, and Haku had no money to help her brother. She knew why her father didn't believe Tadd and that was the infuriating thing. Territh Tsumiri was too darned trusting in perfect strangers. He believed that all people must share his scrupulous need for honesty and justice. As a result, Tadd was not bailed out, and the family's fishing business was respectable, but rather poor.

Haku pulled herself out of these thoughts as she saw Vintus pulling his claymore from his strappings on his back. She replayed the last few seconds of conversation in her mind and joyfully realized what Vintus was offering.

She took the sword with shaking hands. The paladin was right; the sword was heavy. But Haku had dealt with worse and years of training as a smithey had acclimatized her to holding such weapons and such weight with almost ease. Carefully, she drew the claymore, softly murmering, "Thank you," as she did so.

After that, words were lost to her. She was too busy inspecting the blade, the hilt, the strange marking pressed into the side. These, she supposed, had something to do with the enchantment. She searched for some smith's mark, but found none that she could recognize. Instead, she lost herself in gleaming steel and dreams of making such weapons herself years later.

Finally, words returned. "Where did you get this? Do you know the smith who made it? I can't see a mark. What kind of enchantment is upon it? Was it bestowed by a mage after the blade was made, or was this made by a smiht-mage? Do you know what grade steel this is? How much did it cost?" She stopped herself, though she wanted to go on, and waited for his reply.

[Neravarine]

Vintus smiled inside his helm. "The smith? Not completely sure. It was supposedly made by someone who was a brother of a famous paladin in Cyrodil long ago. The sword was crafted with grade A steel, but see how it glitters? Thats a lightweight material called Mithril with the steel, a type of ore found only in Cyrodil, and it was smelted with the steel. It makes the sword lighter, and allows the enchantment that was bestowed upon it to be more effective. The blade was forged in the Dragon Temple in the Imperial City, and a powerful archmage enchanted it while it was made. The enchantment is fire, thats why it feels warm, like it's alive, and with every strike the blade's foe feels Akatosh's flame." Vintus then looked at the sword as they walked on. "There is no mark... I know. The blade was made as quickly as possible and with the time they had, and they made a powerful weapon indeed. I guess they didn't have time, but the markings are the Imperial old tongue which say, "May evil feel judgement's wrath." As for what it costs? I estimate about 3,500 gold, because of the craftsman's ship, materials used, and the enchantment placed. The brother whom was the paladin, slew the infamous daedric worshiper Marcalith with that very blade, and it has been used a few times since. It came into my possession as of recently, The temple bestowed it to me about a month before they decided to ship me here to Morrowind, as a way to thank me for my services as well as allow me to be more effective with my work. The claymore has a name, It's called Akatosh's Flame."

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku nodded silently, mind running it's fingers over the information much as she had run her fingers over the sword moments ago. A shame that it hadn't been made by a smith-mage... Haku had heard stories of the wise and strong smith-mages; men and women who could employ magic and blended the fantastical arts with the more earthly art of smithing. Their pieces were said to be amazing, but Haku's master back at home had never had the fortune of possessing one. They were very rare, usually sold to the highest bidder or given as gifts for great deeds.

Haku nodded again. "Mithril's very expensive over here. I've only seen a tiny piece of it, and it was very filtered. This is worth all 3,500 gold pieces, probably more. A fire blade... That's very rare. Akatosh's Flame suits it. Once again, thank you for letting me see it." She sheathed the sword before she could trip and drop it, as she was apt to do, and held it out for Vintus to take back, not entirely sure of hat else to say. Really, there wasn't much to talk about. She'd only been travelling for a few weeks, and so she didn't know much of the outside world, and Vintus likely had no idea where she'd come from and had no interest in small-town talk of whom was being apprenticed to whom and what this person said about this one. Haku settled for whistling a light tune about Lyrica, goddess of artists and music, and walking her merry way along.

[Neravarine]

Vintus's steel gauntlet gripped the sheathe carefully, then took the claymore back. Vintus then went through the motions of strapping it to his back. After that was done, he traveled in silence before finally asking, "Why are we headed to Hla Oad? Visiting family?" The imperial asked, almost as if he could guess what Kohaku was thinking.

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku swivelled slightly so she could walk backwards while talking to Vintus. Her whistling stopped. That was strange. Only a few moments ago, she had been thinking of Raff and his new child. She hadn't heard yet if it was a boy or girl and she was eager to find out. How had... No. It was best not to question such things. She sent a silent prayer for strength and safety to Methel, her people's smith-god, and replied.

"Well, kind of. I planned to go to Hla Oad anyway, because I want to learn a bit how smithing in a big ocean city affects style. Ports are usually the most likely place to find peoples of many divergent societies and races mingling relatively peacefully. I should spend a few weeks there, learning how the smiths' work is influenced by the surrounding culture. There's also the added bonus that my brother moved to a small village near Hla Oad, only a two-hour walk away. He and his wife had a baby, so I'm going to get to meet my first neice or nephew. My brother's name is Raffael, Raff for short, and his wife is named Tamira. HE's a fisherman and she's a basket-weaver."

[Neravarine]

Vintus smiled inside his helm. "I asked because I encountered a nice couple at Hla Oad selling such wares. Both red guards, and they reminded me of you. I was sent to the Bitter coast for The Tribunal Temple, in an effort to better improve relations between the native religion and ours.You know how Dunmer are, they wanted me to "purify" An old ancestral tomb... Which happened to have vampires in it. Nothing too serious, they were most likely smugglers or commoners in their mortal life, but they posed a serious threat to towns such as Hla Oad and Seyda Neen. My next mission was in Balmora, but I found and killed the vampires fairly quickly, so I think I have time to help you out." Vintus said all this as if it were a normal part of his life. "Got checked by the doctor, and I don't have Porphyric Hemophilia from fighting them, so I'm in the clear." Vintus then walked on, saying, "Just keep at it. By the way, I know an orc named Grogurbash in Caldera. It's far away, but if my blade or armor needs working on thats beyond me, I always go to him if I'm in the area. He's a really good smith, can always talk to him if you get the chance."

[Kestrelwing]

Kohaku

Haku almost stopped in her tracks. "You know an orc? Whoa. I mean, not that you don't seem important or experienced enough, but they're really not the friendliest people. And he works on your armor? What I would pay to be you right now..." She trailed off, lost again in daydreams of greatness and fame.

Naturally, karma felt that moment was perfect to make Haku pay for past wrongs and she was suddenly sprawled on the ground. Shaking dirt out of her braids and dusting her brown trousers and green tunic off, she muttered, "Stupid roots... I swear they're out to get me." She flipped a dark black craid out of her face and sprinted for a few moments to catch up with Vintus.

[Neravarine]

Vintus chuckled in amusement inside his steel helm. "Yes. Friendly guy once you get to know him. Even spar with sometimes when both of us have free time. He specializes in medium weight armor, although he is very skilled in heavy. The Hlaluu guards in Caldera get most of their Bonemold armor from him. He also buys and sells armor and weapons with passing adventurers, when they show up. Big tall, muscular fellah, about 6-2, thick muscled, olive green skin, and a mane of untidy black hair." Vintus then paused... He heard something... At first he thought it might have been nix hounds... But... That deep barritone snarling wasn't a nix hound... "Kohaku... Get ready. We have company..." He whispered over to the young redguard as he gripped the hilt of his claymore...