Personal Quest Of home and hearth
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#1

Are
The days came and passed as the piles of rubble outside the ramshackle hovel grew. Inside, enough space had been cleared around the mostly intact fireplace to house the cobbler and what few things he had managed to scavenge. Simple tools, but enough to keep him busy as the daylight waned and left him digging in the dark. "Winter will come before I'm done." Are muttered to himself as he in the light of the fire scraped at the rabbit pelts. Even though his spirits where lower than ever he had to keep going, for her.

He relied on a note, scrawled on a ragged piece of parchment and stuck to a post at the center of the settlement to draw enough attention to himself.

The biggest issue was the boulder blocking access to most of the basement, but the sizeable holes and piles of rubble was also major tasks to be completed. Probably only a day or so of work with enough help.

Attention! Strong and handy folks wanted for clearing and repairs. A hard days labor in exchange for my services. Find me in the single story hovel at the south edge of town. ~Are, Cobbler

  1. Are
  2. Maea
  3. Caiside

Two free spots, post below if you're clearing rubble, helping in breaking up the large boulder in the basement or fixing up the thatched roof, walls or floor. Are will be hammering away at the boulder to clear the basement.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#2
m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down


"We call it 'deepfrost' here, but I'd say you are right. Mind if I lend a hand? Wouldn't want to leave anyone without a decent roof over their head, even if the Long Night is far off still."

Maea smiled at the hardworking man from the door. She had foregone knocking as the note led her to believe there would be plenty of people coming and going anyway, but seeing the man sitting alone by the fire made her pause.

"This is the right house, I hope? I saw the note..."

Though the young woman was short and slender with little if any muscle to her, the hand she used to indicated the note outside by the market was calloused and rough from long handling of tools. She was pale, with hair and eyes tjat was nearly colorless and gleamed eerily in the light of the fire; all the more strikingly white against the backdrop of evening and the black scarf she wore around the shoulders.

But the smile was warm, and her tone cheerful as she introduced herself.

"I'm Maea Valair. You're Are, right?"
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Caiside Annatar
Blacksmith

Age: 43 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#3











CAISIDE
The note in the settlement was easy to miss, if he hadn't been on the lookout for something else, Caiside would probably never have noticed it. But notice it he did, deciding before he was finished that he would be helping. The fact that Are was a cobbler was only an added bonus, his boots had been thin since he arrived, and the winter had been less than kind to them.

He arrived at the little house, surprised by how humble it was. He wasn't sure why he had expeted something grander, but at least it would be less work than he had first assumed. Someone else, a thin, pale girl, had arrived before him. With her white hair, she almost reminded Caiside of Jigano, the thought that they might be related half forming in his head before he remembered that the other man had been portaled in, like him.

Regardless of who she looked like, he offered her a smile, then turned to who he could only assume was the man who had summoned them. "I'm glad to see I am not too late. Caiside, at your service." His gaze moved around the room as he introduced himself, taking in the work that needed to be done.

Scattering sparks of thought energy
Deliver me and carry me away
Here in my kingdom I am your lord
I order you to cower and pray
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 3 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 6 - Int:
Played by: Wiggen Offline
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Posts: 301 | Total: 311
MP: 0
#4


Are
Are smiled at the extra hands his scrawled note had attracted, maybe not the grizzled woodsmen and warriors of yore, but he much rather have skilled labor than hard. His eyes flitted between the strangers and the dilapidated little building. A pile of thatch and hastily processed lumber resting against the wall warmed by the midday sun. He'd managed to scrape together enough tools to go around, and had been given good advice to boot.

"Heill og sæl, thank you for coming. I am Are, and this will be my home, eventually." he said, serious at first but cracking up with a warm smile at his own comment. "You both seem like the handy kind, the one this hovel desperately needs." Are said and chuckled, motioning to sizable holes on the west side of the roof. Whereas the wall had been half torn to shreds, the roof looked more neglected than anything else. Beneath the sparse covering one could see still solid, if a bit weathered, beams holding what thatch in place. "Suggest we start there and work our way down. How about you too get up there and I'll pass you whatever's needed?"
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#5
m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down


"That's alright, I can probably manage the roof on my own, if you boys take care of the walls and that big rock."

Maea smiled at the men and made her way towards a ladder procured for this task. While the was no thatcher by trade, she had seen it done and helped with the task enough times that she understood how it was done. As she was smaller and lighter than the others, it made sense for her to do the climbing. As she went, the tools she would use rose seemingly of their own accord and floated off after her, followed by piece after piece of straw as needed.

It was a simple enough process. Starting towards the edge of the roof, she layered the material and worked her way gradually upwards. It would have been far easier to do in daylight however, and she wondered why Are had waited until the day was almost over to begin the work. Was he afraid that no one would set aside their own work to help a stranger?

"So, a cobbler eh?" she spoke, casually starting up a conversation as the work progressed and the silence became oppressive. "Have you been at the trade a long time? And what about you, Caiside, what do you do for a living?"
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Caiside Annatar
Blacksmith

Age: 43 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#6











CAISIDE
Caiside cocked his head, apolite smile on his face despite his confusion. He didn't understand how someone so small intended to fix he whole roof alone. The tools and supplies moving made him start, though surprise morphed into a look of jealous longing as soon as he realized what was happening.

Assuming Maea had the roof under control, he turned to look first at the damaged walls, then at the large boulder. "We should do the boulder before the walls. So it doesn't end up staying inside." He smiled at his own joke, then looked around, noticing the lumber. "We can use some of the wood like a lever, and get it moving." He suggested, moving to grab the wood he thought he would need.

"I'm a blacksmith by trade." Caiside jumped to answer, glad for the conversation while he tried to work out the best way to execute his plan. "But I recently joined the Loreseekers. I expect I'll be doing more with them soon, to fill up the rest of my time." He could go on, wanted to, but was polite enough o give Are a chance to respond himself.

Scattering sparks of thought energy
Deliver me and carry me away
Here in my kingdom I am your lord
I order you to cower and pray
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 3 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 6 - Int:
Played by: Wiggen Offline
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Posts: 301 | Total: 311
MP: 0
#7


Are
Ratatosk himself would've turned green with envy at the grace the pale woman exhibited, almost in one fell swoop leaping onto the roof. Followed by what Are could only explain as a product of his exhausted mind. The seemingly floating tools and straw leaving him just shaking his head, sighing and heading for the cellar.

A few laps in silence around the sizable rock proved just enough to have the cobbler back to a somewhat talkable state of mind again. "A cobbler, yes, tanner as well, if it's made of hide I can make it. Been at it for all my life." he finally said, hands on hips and staring at the chunk of mountain that had been taunting him for near a week. "A blacksmith, eh? You seem awfully clever and noble for one." Are remarked, giving Caiside a short glance. "No offense. It's just... I had expected a sledge, but a lever makes sense. I can see why you'd want to take to the books." he added, trying to correct what he imagined would sound harsh, what with his way of speaking.

Are took Caiside's idea and ran with it, digging out a few pieces of lumber that could do the trick. "Can we get it up on it's side we could get it up on planks to keep sliding it up and out."
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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#8
m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down


Another Loreseeker? That was a surprise. Maea searched her memory to recall if Jigano had mentioned Caiside before, but if he had it must have been lost on her. Maea smiled down at him all the same, somewhat shy but decidedly glad to share that connection with someone.

"That would make us colleagues" she said. "I joined the Loreseekers just recently... Jigano and Sam are teaching me to read." And much else too, things she had never thought a farmer girl from the Outskirts would ever come to know.

"Learning is a good thing. It lets you see things from a new perspective, appreciate what you have and what could be in a whole other way. Are, are you content with continuing like you always have? Even though you've ended up in a whole new world?"

She simply assumed about his being an Outlander. The way he spoke was different, his mannerisms foreign... In the Hollow, that could only mean one thing.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Caiside Annatar
Blacksmith

Age: 43 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#9











CAISIDE
”I only joined recently as well.” Caiside assured Maea, returning her smile. ”I thought the next time I met another would be at the guild hall, but I’m glad to be mistaken. What was your specialty?” He hoped, selfish as it might be, that it was something he was interested in. It would be good to bond with other Loreseekers, but he wanted some of it to be more than politeness.

The mention of Jigano actually caused Caiside to do a double take, wondering for a moment if perhaps the two were related? After all, they shared the same white hair. Surely the bard would have mentioned something, if he had a relative here? And on second glance... they didn’t look too much alike, other than the hair.

A bright laugh escaped him at the comment Are made. ”My specialty has always been delicate things. I have to work with a little more finesse than just sledgehammers.” Caiside wasn’t offended at all, if anything he found the cobblers surprise a little bit funny. ”I’ve never actually met a cobbler before, so you’ll have to make a good impression.” Another laugh followed the joking words, Caiside just hoping he wasn’t coming on too strong.

He moved to help set up the runners, which he had to admit were a very good idea. Once they had them straight, and had an idea hownthis was going to go, he returned to the wood that was serving as the lever and prepared to put his whole body weight on it. He just hoped the wood wouldn’t snap, but it seemed sturdy enough to stand a chance. His mind somewhat at ease, he counted down from three and heaved body against the lever, strainingnwith all his might against the rock.

Scattering sparks of thought energy
Deliver me and carry me away
Here in my kingdom I am your lord
I order you to cower and pray
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 3 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 6 - Int:
Played by: Wiggen Offline
Change author:
Posts: 301 | Total: 311
MP: 0
#10


Are
He was very well aware of his own flaws, the stubborn cobbler. Not that it made it any easier to accept that Maea was probably right. What few steps forward he'd taken had all been because of taking the world for what it was and moving with it. "Content, yes, complacent, no." he grumbled and trying to stifle a smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth. "But yes, I see your point."

Caiside's answer and quip broke what little resistance remained and he smiled back at the man. Not even living in the past could keep him somber in such company. "Carry an ounce of that finesse with your hammer and you'll strike envy into even the dvergr!" Are said and pointed at the glib blacksmith before grabbing the piece of timber wedged under the rock.

Just like many times before he filled his lungs with air and braced hard, exploding against the rough wood in tandem with the blacksmith. A scraping groan told of slow progress as the rock inched its way up the runners, leaving a trail of ground wood and disturbed soiled as it went. Stubborn was a good trait, at least when dealing with grueling physical work, as evident by the triumphant thud of the rock hitting the hard ground beyond the hole left behind by its entrance.

With the rock finally out of the way, Are took a deep breath and had a fresh look at the damage on his new home. Now with the roof patched to a serviceable degree he turned his focus to the gaping hole in the wall and ground floor. He sighed, but cut his remark short and did a retake. How such a seemingly frail person could have fixed in what he felt had been mere minutes what would have taken him the better part of a day was beyond him. "You... You're a quick worker, there..." was all he managed to say at first before picking his jaw up and reconsidering the situation. "Well, uhm, seems the floor is next in line. Maea, there should be nails left next to the fire. Caiside, I take it your aim with a hammer is better than mine, I'll pass you the planks" he said after clearing his throat and returning to a more productive mindset.
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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#11
m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down


"I intend to focus on medicine, once I get good enough to actually study properly. Compile what already exist, make it easier to access for the healers, that sort of thing" the said, in reply to Caiside's question. "How about you?"

Quick she might be, but it was with the aid of magic and far from expertly done. Maea gave her work a critical once over and shook her head; her father would have been appalled.

"It will serve for now, but you should really have a proper thatcher come take a look before Deepfrost. The snows come in heavy, this would never last you through Long Night."

But at least he would sleep dry over the summer, and that was the best she could offer right now. She made her way down from the roof again and headed for the next set of tasks. Finding the nails the brough them and the mentioned hammers over to the men, grabbed one for herself and began the tedious work of replacing floorboards. Again she had a slight advantage; holding the nails with her mind rather than hand spared her the danger of hammering her own thumb, and the only danger to herself or anyone around would come if she overworked herself.

"Tell me about your homelands?" she asked the two of them as they worked. "I've only ever seen this place... What's it like, living without anything restricting where you can go?"
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦
Caiside Annatar
Blacksmith

Age: 43 | Height: 5'5" | Race: Attuned | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
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#12











CAISIDE
Caiside heaved against the huge stone, working with Are to move it along the path they had set up. The small amount of pride that came with the herculean task paled to near nothingness in the face of how grueling that had been. This was far more work than he had thought he'd been doing when he first came out, but... he had to admit with the roof patches and the boulder gone, it did look a lot better.

"Medicine would be good. Interesting." Caiside said, once head caught his breath properly. Having someone who knew about medicine was more than interesting though, it was needed. He dind't know if someone else had taken over the infirmary, but having more hands there could never hurt. "My specialty is animals. I'll be working on a bestiary, of things within the barrier, and out of it, once that happens."

With the short break between tasks over, and Caiside mostly recovered from his exertion, he took up position by the hole, hammer in hand. These were all jobs he remembered from his childhood, but hadn't had to actually do since they became memories. There was a rhythm to it, one that he fell into rather quickly. Take a board, line it up, nail it down.

His hands slowed somewhat as he looked up at Maea, a downright giddy smile on his face. "My  homeland is beautiful, and huge. I started traveling eight years ago, and I still have so much left to see there." He looked down, focusing back on the task at hand, but kept speaking. "Being here is so strange now, but, if you've been here your whole life it must just feel normal, right?" Caiside glanced up again then, looking between Maea and Are so he could stay engaged in the conversation and still keep working on the floors.

Scattering sparks of thought energy
Deliver me and carry me away
Here in my kingdom I am your lord
I order you to cower and pray
Are Jormsson
Cobbler / Leatherworker

Age: 31 | Height: 6'4" (193cm) | Race: Accepted | Nationality: Outlander | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 3 - Strg: 20 - Dext: 12 - Endr: 20 - Luck: 6 - Int:
Played by: Wiggen Offline
Change author:
Posts: 301 | Total: 311
MP: 0
#13


Are
Yet again Are was left almost stunned at the speed of his two helpers. The planks he carried went down in such a hurry he barely had the time to grab more before the hammers had gone silent. He knew it was a race against the slowly setting sun, the pale disc dropping towards the treetops at an alarming pace. Alarming, hadn't he found himself standing there by an almost empty woodpile and basking in the afternoon light as the last of the nails went into wood with a few well aimed whacks. He had been so focused on his aching muscles and pushing them almost past the point of exhaustion that he could've missed Maea's question had not Caiside's question sparked memories of Are's own home.

"Might not've had a wall, but duties kept me from going too far from home. Longest I ever went from home sent me here, so it seems I had the right idea staying put." said Are with a laugh and a shake of his head, glossing over the more dark details of his first and last journey.

Peering over his shoulder at the sun now barely touching trees inspired confidence in the cobbler. Maybe not a builder by trade, but he'd helped enough around town to know roughly how much time it would take to patch the more than man-sized hole he was leaning in. The state of his stores had him worried though, barely enough to cover the opening, let alone make it weather proof, but it would have to do.

"No time to dawdle now, friends." Are said and with a bounce in his step went to get more wood, measuring it against the opening and scoring it with his little knife. "We'll have this done by sundown, just a handful more nails and the neighbors won't have to see me get dressed." he said, laughing and roughly cutting the first crossbar to size with a hand axe fished out of his belt. "You two seem mighty quick, same as before, just don't outrun me again. another chuckle and a warm smile as the wood chips started flying.

"The land itself though, it surely was something special." he said, awkwardly picking up the thread he never really finished. "I'd tell you all about it, but we'd be stuck here til tomorrow and I'd be in tears before sunset. Let me say this much though, I had never seen something more beautiful than the calm lake at dawn, I wish I had the words to describe it. I had a name to mirror it once, but it escapes me."
Maea Valair
Hollowed Grounds Ambassador / Loreseeker

Age: 29 | Height: 156 cm / 5'1 ft | Race: Ancient | Nationality: Natural | Citizenship: Hollowed Grounds
Level: 2 - Strg: 22 - Dext: 22 - Endr: 25 - Luck: 20 - Int:
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#14
m a e a
here comes the sun
smiling down


Together they made quick progress on the floor, leaving only the walls left to patch up. Here Maea stood back to wait for instruction, being neither strong enough to lift the heavier beams nor skilled enough to offer advice. But she would lend her hands and her magic to whichever task was needed, so that by the time the sun set and she had to head for her own home, Are would be able to sleep dry and warm.

"It all sounds so lovely" she said wistfully to their descriptions of distant lands. "I wish... But you shouldn't count on the barrier falling, you know. It'll drive you crazy to hope and wait for something that will never happen."

Some things were best left alone. Some dreams were better off staying dreams, and thought of as little as possible. Caiside's talk of a beastiary was wonderful, and Maea would have loved to offer her help and joined him in exploring... But going beyond the barrier?

"Even if it fell, I don't know if I'd dare go outside" she confessed, her laugh a bit awkward.
♦ Violence, magic, thievery is permitted with Maea at all times. DM me if you have any ideas ♦


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