Caravan ((Closed for now))

[ultimate_nerdslut]

Seek the water of life.

Long ago, miasma swallowed the world. Its very touch was fatal, and it claimed many lives. But we have since discovered a way to hold it at bay.

Crystals protect us from miasma. Smaller crystals now guard the villages of the world, while greater ones guard the cities. We all live our lives within the embrace of the crystals' blessing.

The power of the crystals is not limitless, however; it gradually diminishes over time. We must rekindle the crystals' radiance each year by purifying them with dew. In turn, they protect us from the miasma for another year.

But the dew required cannot be found just anywhere. We must seek it in the dank depths of dungeons, across forbidding mountains, even beyond the sea.

This task falls to groups of young men and women sent off each year by every town the world over. It is their duty to collect dew and bring it home. They are known as the crystal caravans.

This is the tale of one such caravan and its adventures.​

Erith was the adventuring sort of girl that had waited and waited for her chance to serve on the caravan to gather dew. There was finally an open spot for her and so she took it as her shot to prove she was a grown up at the young age of eighteen.

This was a small town and they only sent out one caravan and the eldest of the two decided to stay back and start a family leaving the challenge of finding a suitable replacement up to the town. After a series of sparring matches and endurance tests... Erith was chosen.

It was the morning they would set out to gather dew in the chalice, the sun had yet to rise and thought the ceremony was not supposed to take place until for another two hours the young woman sat on the fence nearest to the bridge that led out of town.

She sighed heavily, Erith had never thought that she would be nervous about leaving... but she was... She was surprised to hear someone out so early in he morning. Everyone had set up last night and most were trying to get their rest.

"Morning..." She called not looking back to see who it was.

Erith's Pic

 

[dragonrazor]

Sareth had spent a long night resting and relaxing, and was now up before the crack of dawn. He carried a backpack and some other things as he walked down to the entrance of the town. He yawned slightly, as he approached the bridge from which they'd be leaving. Of course, first there was that ridiculous ceremony, he thought. He sighed, then noticed someone sitting on the side of the bridge. He raised an eyebrow, then shrugged as he was greeted. He ran a hand through his titanium hair, and then waved slightly. "Morning. You're up early."

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

"Morning. You're up early."

Erith looked back at the man who she was joining on the caravan. "Yeah... I really was having trouble sleeping," She said trying not to seem like such a child. But she was barely an adult...

Fresh out of the cradle as it were.

"Why are you up so early?" Erith asked thinking that there was something special that she too should have been doing.

She didn't want to screw anything up.

 

[dragonrazor]

Erith looked back at the man who she was joining on the caravan. "Yeah... I really was having trouble sleeping," She said trying not to seem like such a child. But she was barely an adult...

Fresh out of the cradle as it were.

"Why are you up so early?" Erith asked thinking that there was something special that she too should have been doing.

She didn't want to screw anything up.

Sareth raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. He came to a stop at the foot of the bridge, then turned to look at the sunrise. "I'm always up this early on the days of the Caravan. It keeps me from worrying too much. Besides, I sleep well at night."

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

Sareth raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. He came to a stop at the foot of the bridge, then turned to look at the sunrise. "I'm always up this early on the days of the Caravan. It keeps me from worrying too much. Besides, I sleep well at night."

She smiled at him. "Is it really as dangerous as Koal made it out to be?" She was of course talking about the man who used to be his travel buddy. "He always told us about all these monsters and how you guys always had a close call." I laugh a little at how young I must seem asking such silly questions.

"I know we really haven't talked being that you're busy a lot of the time..." Erith starts. "But I am glad that I have an experienced partner," she said thinking about the trip that they were about to se out on.

 

[dragonrazor]

She smiled at him. "Is it really as dangerous as Koal made it out to be?" She was of course talking about the man who used to be his travel buddy. "He always told us about all these monsters and how you guys always had a close call." I laugh a little at how young I must seem asking such silly questions.

"I know we really haven't talked being that you're busy a lot of the time..." Erith starts. "But I am glad that I have an experienced partner," she said thinking about the trip that they were about to se out on.

Sareth chuckled at her amusing enthusiasm. He considered her question for a moment, then shrugged. "Well, there ARE a lot of monsters out there, but most are easily dealt with. The problem was, Koal tended not to prepare properly, so I was left with most of the work. He's a capable fighter, but he doesn't know how to limit himself, and always ends up getting hurt, leaving me to finish off the creature and then heal his wounds."

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

"Well, there ARE a lot of monsters out there, but most are easily dealt with. The problem was, Koal tended not to prepare properly, so I was left with most of the work. He's a capable fighter, but he doesn't know how to limit himself, and always ends up getting hurt, leaving me to finish off the creature and then heal his wounds."

She smiled at that.

Well, at least she knew that she would be with a partner that knew what he was doing and was well prepared for their journey. She knew that this would be a long one... Probably take a few weeks out in the wild with all the monsters until they had gathered up enough of the dew to replenish the crystal.

"It ought to be fun then," she said with a laugh before jumping off of the fence. She saw one of her older brother's walking their way.

"Mom wants you to have a big breakfast before you set out..." He said before looking to Sareth. "Why don't you join us... There's sure to be enough food," he offered.

 

[dragonrazor]

She smiled at that.

Well, at least she knew that she would be with a partner that knew what he was doing and was well prepared for their journey. She knew that this would be a long one... Probably take a few weeks out in the wild with all the monsters until they had gathered up enough of the dew to replenish the crystal.

"It ought to be fun then," she said with a laugh before jumping off of the fence. She saw one of her older brother's walking their way.

"Mom wants you to have a big breakfast before you set out..." He said before looking to Sareth. "Why don't you join us... There's sure to be enough food," he offered.

Sareth had been about to answer, when he heard the steps of a heavy man. He turned, then smiled, and bowed slightly. "Why not. I haven't eaten more than a few bits of cheese and bread so far. Lead on, my good man."

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

Sareth had been about to answer, when he heard the steps of a heavy man. He turned, then smiled, and bowed slightly. "Why not. I haven't eaten more than a few bits of cheese and bread so far. Lead on, my good man."

Erith laughed at the other man.

"Only cheese and bread? No wonder you're so skinny," Caen, Erithe's older brother, said with a chuckle. "You should at least have a good homecooked meal before a big journey," he said as he clapped the other warmly on the back.

"Yeah, and you haven't had good until you tried some of our mother's fried potatoes!" She said happily.

the kitchen was a bright and cheery place as the short, slightly overweight woman bustled around at high speeds. She already had a feast on the table and more still in the kitchen.

"Morning!" She said. "Have a seat! Eat up Eat up!" the woman said happily before disappearing and returning with juice. "So are you two excited?" She asked. Erith nodded as she took a big bite of toast.

 

[dragonrazor]

Erith laughed at the other man.

"Only cheese and bread? No wonder you're so skinny," Caen, Erithe's older brother, said with a chuckle. "You should at least have a good homecooked meal before a big journey," he said as he clapped the other warmly on the back.

"Yeah, and you haven't had good until you tried some of our mother's fried potatoes!" She said happily.

the kitchen was a bright and cheery place as the short, slightly overweight woman bustled around at high speeds. She already had a feast on the table and more still in the kitchen.

"Morning!" She said. "Have a seat! Eat up Eat up!" the woman said happily before disappearing and returning with juice. "So are you two excited?" She asked. Erith nodded as she took a big bite of toast.

Sareth had followed along with them, and then shook his head at being called skinny. When they got to the house, he shrugged off his backpack, and then folowed them to the table. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the food spread out. He looked at the others, then shrugged, and started eating. "It's going to be just like any other trip. Though I hope the young one is more competent than her predecessor."

 

[ultimate_nerdslut]

Sareth had followed along with them, and then shook his head at being called skinny. When they got to the house, he shrugged off his backpack, and then folowed them to the table. He raised an eyebrow, looking at the food spread out. He looked at the others, then shrugged, and started eating. "It's going to be just like any other trip. Though I hope the young one is more competent than her predecessor."

"Oh she will be," Raeth her second oldest brother said as he sat down next to Erith. "And she's a mean little thing if you tease her..." He laughed softly as he rubbed the back of his head in slight rememberance of what had happened.

Caen had to laugh too.

"Oh stop it I am not that bad," she argued as her mothe bustled back in with so fresh razzleberries.

"Well darling you are pretty fiesty when you're cornered and you are known for hitting... and biting..." She said thinking it over. "I'm just glad you stopped breaking the skin...." She laughed before the boys looked at her.

"Shut up and eat your breakfast..." She mumbled at them...

 

[dragonrazor]

"Oh she will be," Raeth her second oldest brother said as he sat down next to Erith. "And she's a mean little thing if you tease her..." He laughed softly as he rubbed the back of his head in slight rememberance of what had happened.

Caen had to laugh too.

"Oh stop it I am not that bad," she argued as her mothe bustled back in with so fresh razzleberries.

"Well darling you are pretty fiesty when you're cornered and you are known for hitting... and biting..." She said thinking it over. "I'm just glad you stopped breaking the skin...." She laughed before the boys looked at her.

"Shut up and eat your breakfast..." She mumbled at them...

Sareth raised an eyebrow, then shook his head. He couldn't really say anything as his mouth was stuffed with part of an omelette. He just continued eating, avoiding speaking. He didn't think it would be smart to get in the middle of a discussion like that. When he finally stopped eating, he stretched slightly, and sat back in the chair. "An excellent meal, ma'am. You've outdone yourself, it was even better than the Gathering's feasts."