[Ranger Hall] Where the River Flows

[Seth Lavryl]

13th Brightening of the Month of Junctior, Autumn Era XIV

Seth approached the Spartan building slowly, eyes caught between studying the ground he was walking on and fleetingly darting over the high militaristic columns and powerful heavy doors that beckoned entrance into the compound. The sudden neighing of a horse behind him caught him unawares, and the human sidestepped briefly just in time for the rider to innocuously rush by just as the heavy doors opened. Pondering this, Seth glanced up and spotted a small tower nestled casually high above, a small blotted shape unmoving inside. Figuring this for a lookout tower, Seth’s eyes fell once more to the heavy doors, noticing for the first time a large figurine head of a wolf attached high above. Moving forward, he adjusted the weight of his longbow over his shoulder and watched dolefully as the doors opened just ride enough for the rider to pass through, before beginning to close. His chance!

Bustling forward, Seth leapt up the small step and over the stone foyer, darting through the column and slipping forward…almost there…ah! Just in time. Passing through the wooden structures just in time for the moan of the hinges to groan to a halt and the heavy thud of the wood colliding against itself, Seth gained access to the fortified building.

Seth squinted. The lighting here was dim and not very good, though on the other hand, he suspected that the Ranger’s were better than most at noticing things, and that lighting was irrelevant for their well honed eyes. Stepping forward and adjusting himself to help his appearance look more presentable, he rubbed a hand over the stubble aligning his jaw and chin, glancing around and failing to catch sight of anyone. What he did notice, however, was the small notice board tacked to the wall.

Moving closer for a better look, he began to read.

[Fox]

There were always new people, he considered. New people who were walking in and walking out. Old people doing the same ~ all part and parcel of the circle that was life and death, and to be greeted with the same warmth as both.

However, this one had an.. air to him. He looked interesting. Interesting could be very good or very bad, and he wasn't entirely sure which one it was. But still, the man who was watching Seth as he read the parchment on the noticeboard decided that it was time to speak to him.

"Hello and welcome to the Ranger Hall" he said. The man in question was softly spoken, his voice calm and almost lilting in pitch and tone. Assuming that Seth turned around when he was spoken to he saw a human man standing there, middle aged as humans went and with gray hair which was thinning at the temples. His skin was the wrinkled and aged skin of someone who has spent a long time outside and working and Seth may notice that the man in front of him wore no shoes at all. Although his soft brown trousers and pale brown shirt seemed to be old enough that they were comfortable, both were clean and well cared for. A stitch here and there was more than many would accept, but these clothes were well looked after.

His soft tones were matched by his demeanour. He seemed relaxed and friendly and when Seth and he locked gazes, even for a moment, Seth saw a calmness in the man's eyes that was almost... elven.

"Do you need help this brightening or would you rather be left alone?" he asked. He didn't seem to mind either way, as long as he had asked.

[Seth Lavryl]

Seth turned at the sound of a voice, finding it subtly surprising that he hadn’t noticed the presence of another before. Hands clasped behind his back, he held one out for introductory purposes, a firm stiff handshake in order since the man seemed to know his way around here. A ranger? Seth regarded him closely, noticing the graying hair, the dusky brown attire. The clothing looked old, worn even, but not tattered. This man had an appreciation for the more simple things in life; the stitches proved it. Yes, a handshake was in order indeed.

“Seth Lavryl,” he spoke collectively, his tone quiet and gathered – filled with a sense of purpose, even, some might venture to say. “I was interested in learning more about the Ranger Hall here,” he spoke quietly with a soft smile. No sense in charging in and dedicating himself right away; no, he’d ask for a tour, perhaps a short lecture on what it is the Rangers do, where they work, how they operate. His interest was piqued greatly by this organization; Aerternia, he’d been told that Natura was a haven for all things to do with nature. Why else would he expect otherwise?

[Fox]

"Well hello Seth Lavryl, it's good to meet you" said the man, and returned Seth's handshake. There was a lot to be told about a fellow's hand shake, so they said, and this was no exception. His hands were rough and calloused yet they shook Seth's gently. This man had nothing to prove and if there was strength behind the gesture, it was well hidden and not on display or forwarded as some challenge to the recipient. It was, when all was said and done, a handshake.

"Gorte is my name" the man replied "Gorte Biteweather. I would be happy to answer any questions you've got about the Rangers particularly, or take you on a walk around the building, the grounds, maybe meet a few of the Rangers themselves, if you'd like. What did you have in mind?" He smiled amicably, watching Seth with interest. It was good to ask questions, to dip in toes, Gorte considered. Too many people came here and flung themselves into the Ranger Hall for a cycle before deciding that it wasn' what they'd thought and so they were going to leave. Better to know what you were doing before you did it, Gorte considered.

So he watched the new chap with interest and wondered whether he was going to get the chance to show off the building and its surrounds. He hoped so.

[Seth Lavryl]

Seth shook Gorte’s hand with a smile flittering across his lips, eyes dancing away from the resolute facial structure of the man to take into being the notice board upon his left. “Pleasure to meet you Gorte,” he murmured quietly as his hand fell away and returned to his pocket, where it stayed. Gathering his thoughts for a few seconds before responding – civil enough to put together a decent response, polite enough to be relatively quick about it – Seth considered the kind man’s words before finally nodding his head in an agreeable manner and rolling his shoulders back in a nonchalant shrug.

“I think a tour of the Ranger Hall would be great, thank you. Perhaps a little history lesson wouldn’t hurt either? I must confess, I travelled all the way from my home in Trysvale to further my skills with this beauty,” he unslung the wooden longbow from his shoulder, rough hands passing over the yew wood that had been well worn. Perhaps a little too worn, some might consider, but the bow was still a sight for Seth’s sore eyes and in better condition than it seemed. A few hardy hunting trips up and down the thickets of Arios had worn it a little too steadily – plus the humidity was simply dread awful up there come summer.

“I’m a hunter in Trysvale. Hunt the local game and help keep pests from over disturbing my neighbor’s farms,” Seth grinned, holding the bow aloft for Gorte to inspect it for a moment before slinging it back over his shoulder with a hopeful expression atop his face.

[Fox]

"Well then a tour it is." he said with a smile and a nod "It will be my pleasure to show you around. Be aware that there are not many great pieces of art here, or really that much to see. We live a fairly austere life, although I believe that a life lived in the wilderness is something that gives one a marvelous appreciation of a soft bed.."

That said, he motioned to Seth and walked with him, hands folded behind his back as he strolled. He showed Seth the areas where the Rangers rested, where they socialised and spent time together in communal discussions, should the desire take them. He also showed him some of the places where they trained - the outdoors areas, the long ranges with targets at the end of them and the library, not impressive by large city standards, but with a goodly selection of books. And of course, the shared dormitories and individual rooms that were the places where the Rangers rested their heads. Of course, as they walked they saw others, many of them dressed in similar fashions. They nodded and smiled to Gorte and greeted Seth, also, although some seemed more friendly than others.

"A history lesson?" he said, as they walked, and smiled slightly "I'm not sure that I'm the best person to give you that. What sort of information are you looking for? Certainly, if you wish to train in the bow, to further your skills, then we are able to provide training. And tips on hunting are often time shared around the meal tables, that's for sure"

Gorte took the bow and held it for a moment, gently, looking at it with an expert eye before handing it back "Its a nice weapon. Are you any good with it?" he asked, a slight twinkle of mirth possibly showing in his expression as he asked.

[Seth Lavryl]

Seth had to say he was mildly impressed. The Ranger Hall seemed filled to the rim with just the sort of people he found pleasurable to familiarize himself around, and the added fact that the majority of them were trained hunters and marksman, could survive off the land on their own, and possessed a wide variety of skills and talents all mercilessly beyond his capabilities – at the present – was more than enough to double the allure that so readily beckoned him to join. After shaking hands with a few of the notable men and women who came up to the touring duo, Seth turned to Gorte and frowned a bit in contemplation.

“History…as in, well, how long have the Rangers of Natura been here? And I heard mention of a spring…why does Natura need Rangers to protect it if no one can do anyone else ill will?” Seth asked with a tilt of his head, rolling his shoulders back into a shrug of proper confusion.

As for the bow… “A bit,” Seth confessed; he’d gone through the basic training, taught himself how to use it at least, but no doubt had acquired numerous own flaws or faults in such self-learning that he could probably use the guided instruction. “I could be a bit better,” he reaffirmed, pausing only to let Gorte answer his question.

He’d already made his mind up on what he was going to do.

“How…how would I go about signing up?”

[Fox]

Those who he spoke to were friendly, polite and welcoming. There was an air of almost-aloofness sometimes, as though they weren't quite sure why there was a stranger here, but that was a small thing and in few cases. Indeed, the definition of it could be difficult, as that almost-aloofness could be considered to be self-assurance in the right circumstance. But all in all, a friendly welcome.

Lots of questions. That was a good thing, though, in fairness and Gorte smiled slightly, considering his answers carefully enough before he gave them.

"Well, the Rangers of Natura have a long and distinguished history, is my belief. To be honest with you, the spring is as much the reason we are needed as anything. It's a strange situation. The spring is a great blessing but also a great responsibility to us. We have to make sure that it is protected, and that this place is protected too. Natura is a place of the land, of the soil. It is an intricate weave the balance here and there are those who would take advantage of our blessings, or try to. We are here to protect the lands as is our responsibility" he said, smiling slightly as he spoke. This was obviously a topic that he was very passionate about ~ whether he spoke what was considered and accepted by all Rangers or just his own perception, of course, remained to be seen.

At Seth's response to his question about the bow and Seth's immediately following question, however, Gorte raised an eyebrow. "Well, honestly, that would depend on what you are interested in signing up for? Are you saying you'd like some training or that you want to become a Ranger? Both are certainly possible, but the second one takes a lot more time and commitment from yourself and so isn't something to be entered into lightly. Not at all..."

He glanced at Seth and smiled, waiting to see what his response would be.