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Post by Alsivor on Aug 28, 2008 9:52:32 GMT -8
(Month 9, Turn 100) - Caminar PCs/NPCs welcome, esp. any wanting to bring up the missing children, or anything that's happened at the Weyr that affects the Caminar - slights, scuffles, insults, you name it. For added interest, an eavesdropper or two could be workable as well, but PM first before eavesdropping with a non-Caminar for coordination purposes.
The men sat in a loose circle within the Caminar encampment, each one the head of a family. Beyond them, in attendance, sons and nephews, there to listen though they had no vote. Silvio sat next to his older brother and his cousin, legs folded, hands resting atop his knees while Imeldo, the head of a large and well-regarded family spoke.
"We have been here long, the Weyr's hospitality has been generous. But how long will it last? Are we really any more safe here than we would be out on the road where we belong? I say it is time to move on, to go while we still can." His palm hit his fist and he looked around the circle meaningfully.
Silvio's heart pounded a little faster, listening to those words, it's what he wanted deep down, to go, to get out of this place, even though there would be at least one someone he'd miss a great deal. There was also the matter of Aleda, when was she coming back? Would she be coming back? How would they know if they weren't here? He leaned over towards Fulvio and murmured: "Do you think father will go for it?" Fulvio just pursed his lips and shrugged. Never the most talkative, his brother, Silvio thought and shrugged in turn, leaning back on his hands to observe as another family head stood to speak.
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Post by Invisible on Aug 28, 2008 16:04:10 GMT -8
Voronio was never thrilled to be gathered together in such a way. Rarely did he even socialize when the Caminar gathered preferring to run his own life with little interference or even intersections with others. This meeting he could not hide from nor would he want to. After all the decision made could change their being stuck within a Weyr that did not even want them. Voronio had brought only Verinas with him preferring to keep his eldest son under watch since the day he brawled with the riders of Telgar.
“We make a fine target here all gathered,” Voronio said in his scratchy seldom heard voice. “What’s to stop the Weyr from just trying to be rid of us once and for all? This weyrleader of theirs is but a boy. If pressure were put on him we don’t know what he might do.” He looked around at his peers and their sons and nephews. “Or maybe they seek to destroy us by keeping us here. Forcing us to live the plantado life and never leave again.”
Verinas was itching to be on the road. His father was becoming unbearable and the longer they remained the worse it would get. Besides once out on the road he’d have some freedom again. Not be stuck under his father’s thumb like now. The Weyr had one thing he’d miss, of course. Leaning closer to where Silvio and his brother sat he said in a low whisper, “This place has one good thing. The plantado women here are adventurous and disinclined to wish for a long term arrangement.” His father could not watch him all the time after all.
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 1, 2008 18:01:29 GMT -8
"And are we not preserving our ways safely here for the day when we are able to leave again?" another voice sounded across the circle, Maran, one of the more outgoing Caminar and one sometimes thought to be too friendly with the plantado. "Why do we not try to lay some of the whisperings about us to rest? There are things we could do to help dispel the blackness that has been attached to our names of late."
Silvio made a face at Maran's somewhat flowery statement and looked towards Verinas, a little surprised at first, then grinning ear to ear at the content of the other young man's comment. "I hear you, friend, many of the Weyr's women do not seem to even /expect/ it. Barely have to work to convince them." Beat. "Well. Some of them." His thoughts flashed to Genet a little guiltily. She wasn't loose, clearly, like some of the lower caverns women he'd met when they'd first arrived. Then again, that was something best not thought of too hard for now. "Still, it would be good to get out under the open sky, no?"
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Post by Invisible on Sept 1, 2008 19:20:06 GMT -8
“The young ones,” Voronio began with a stern look towards his son, “Spend much time consorting with the people of the Weyr. Is that preserving our lifestyle? Or is that allowing them to slip away? We must be more firm!” An open palm slapped against a meaty thigh as Voronio made his point. He turned and looked at Maran with a question, “What should we do? Go to them and beg to be allowed to live our lives? They will think ill of us because that is what they do.” Voronio wanted to go and to take up the open road once more and leave this sedentary time behind them once and for all.
His son, while quite happy to enjoy the hospitality of the women here, was as eager as his father to get away. But while they were here he saw no reason to not have fun. When Voronio spoke a grimace appeared on Verinas’ have. “Now they want us to stay away? If they want us to stay away from the women we should just go.” To Silvio he rolled his eyes over the whole thing. “Maybe I should just introduce my father to some of the women I’ve met. He might change his mind about associating with them then.” A smothered chuckle and waggle of his eyebrows got his point across.
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 8:02:26 GMT -8
"Let the young men consort a little while they can," Maran said indulgently, "It causes no permanent harm and lets them work off a little energy safely before they settle down properly as they should." He gave Voronio a long-suffering look. "Better to be in one piece with our traditions still intact than being randomly attacked," he said swinging his thin arm wide towards the road. "Of course we will need to leave eventually, we can't sit here forever, there isn't enough business. But why not wait until this matter with the young ones is cleared up at least. We can offer to turn out our wagons so it's clear we have nothing to do with it. Or send volunteers to assist." His eyes narrowed as he turned towards Favio. "Did your daughter not do so?" There was a layer of disapproval in his voice for Favio's clear lack of control over Aleda.
Favio merely shifted in his seat and inclined his head. Behind him Silvio pursed his lips looking unhappy that this was coming up here. But he only leaned back towards Verinas. "They don't make any sense. Old men, losing it up here most of them," with a tap of his finger to the side of his head.
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Post by Invisible on Sept 3, 2008 8:27:35 GMT -8
“And when we are set upon again?” Voronio asked. “When this time they set their dragons on us and not just their riders? What do we do then?” He would not budge in his opinion and looked around getting a few nods of agreement at least. Most from dour sour old men just like him. “I see no reason to let the plantado go through our things. Will they let us sort through their rooms to be sure they do not blame us while keeping the young ones here? Or at some hold? Will they open their doors to us to prove their innocence?”
Verinas got a sympathetic pat to his back by one of his buddies. They knew what living with Voronio was like for Verinas. He coughed out a chuckle at Silvio’s words and gesture. “I do not know why we do not let those who want to leave do so,” he said with a shrug to the other man. “Me? I would rather keep my pretty head in one piece and enjoy the particular hospitalities of this place a bit longer.”
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 13:57:14 GMT -8
"Dragonkind don't do that," Favio spoke up quietly, hands still resting on his knees lightly as he looked around the circle at the other men, taking in the sentiments on all of those faces. Maran's head was nodding agreement again. "But we have been here too long," he continued, voice slow and thoughtful. We cannot trade here as we can out there." Another pause long enough that Imeldo started to speak up again in favor of moving on. Unperturbed, Favio just kept on, speaking through the other man. "And yet something could be done about these missing plantado children. A show of good faith between us. So that we may leave in relative safety."
He cocked a look back over at Silvio and murmured softly: "I heard that, boy." Silvio made a face and new he was in for three days straight of cart duty and mucking up after the draybeasts that pulled the wagons. They made quite a mess in the Bowl that needed constant cleaning up to keep the Caminar camp livable. He tossed Verinas another look, shrugged back. "Mm. We should be going soon, though as you say, there are some things worth staying for."
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Post by Invisible on Sept 3, 2008 15:19:17 GMT -8
“They have not yet, but it does not mean one or two might not get the idea from their rider. Young riders and dragons with more hotheadedness than sense.” Voronio always thought the worst. Close by a man half again his age cleared his throat. Julio got to his feet and looked around at those gathered, young and old alike. “I say it does no harm to allow a delegate to come in and look around. A small group of people who have authority to speak and be heard so it is not a waste.” Julio had nothing to hide and yearned to be on the road. He thought he did not have many winters left and refused to spend the last of them cooped up.
Verinas stretched out his legs and remained silent while Silvio got caught. His expression was one of studied innocence. When he thought it save to talk again he lowered his voice even further to say, “Indeed. I have something waiting for me as we speak. Sisters.” He’d been trying to lure them off for a seven now and thought he might finally succeed today.
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 15:46:32 GMT -8
Favio's head was shaking at Voronio's pessimism but he didn't speak aloud. Julio's words brought his head up, keen interest in his eyes. "This sounds like a good middle road to me," he offered up. Maran's lips were pursing and he made a little face, then nodded as well, others were joining in, but there were plenty of stony expressions and heads shaking in the other direction too.
Silvio leaned back on his hands the better to address Verinas out of his father's earshot. "Lucky you," he said honestly to the other young man. He only smiled though thinking of who might be waiting for him later. He made no assumptions though, only kept the warm spark of anticipation close hidden inside.
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Post by Invisible on Sept 3, 2008 16:07:37 GMT -8
“The Weyr’s leaders perhaps?” Julio offered further. “And one of the ones from a Hold. So there can be no doubts that we have co-operated. I desire to be on the road again. My mind wants a sky unlocked of stone to gaze upon.” With those words the old Caminar sat back down. He had offered his suggestion to the younger men and would leave it to them to debate.
Voronio shook his head and muttered to one of the men by him. “He is too old,” was said where no one but his crony might hear. While he wanted to be on the road he had no desire to have plantado hands pawing through his things. “If we let the Weyr’s leader in to the camp we should be allowed to send our daughters out,” he finally said loud enough for all to hear.
At his father’s words Verinas chuckled lowly and elbowed Silvio’s ribs so the other man might look at him. “I hear about the weyrleader,” he tells Silvio. “It is wise that we remove the pretty girls first.”
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 18:39:23 GMT -8
"Suitable," Favio put in and Maran nodded as well. "The leaders seem reasonable," he added on. Behind his father, Silvio was manfully trying not to guffaw, head ducked low behind his knees. The last bit though brought a hint of a sour expression to his face, but he opted to tease Verinas and himself instead. "Does that mean they should tuck away the lower caverns girls when you and I go to bathe?"
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Post by Invisible on Sept 3, 2008 18:47:41 GMT -8
“Who will speak to these leaders?” Voronio asked with a grumpy tone in his voice. He eyed everyone suspiciously. “I’ve no desire to talk to these people unless they wish to buy something.” And even then he left most of that to his son. His son who was more interested in talking to Silvio about the conquests they might make in the lower caverns. “I could find a place to tuck them away,” he told the other young man with a wink. “Right into the baths with me. Three at a time don’t you think? Maybe four?”
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 18:52:22 GMT -8
Silvio only grinned at Verinas, suddenly distracted by Voronio's question. "Sure your heart can take it?" He teased the other young man briefly, then pulled his head around, cleared his throat and pushed to his feet. "I will, if it's agreeable, sir."
Favio turned and stared at his second son in abject surprise, then re-considered, likely remembering the little conversation theyd' had not so long ago about Aleda and J'fel's information about the lad's older sister.
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Post by Invisible on Sept 3, 2008 19:07:48 GMT -8
Julio’s chuckle turned into a cough as Silvio spoke. “Ahh. Favio, your son is a great credit to you. A young man is a good choice-“ But whatever else he might have said was interrupted by Voronio. “We cannot send a kid. We will not look series. If he goes I demand someone older and more experienced in dealing with these people go as well.” Which was good for Verinas since he didn’t want to go and his father was likely to send him on the chance it would increase his standing. He was content to let Silvio do the work while he engaged in friendly bond building with any young woman not fast enough to get out of his charm’s way.
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Post by Alsivor on Sept 3, 2008 19:11:10 GMT -8
Silvio's face flushed a little. "I'm no child. But I'd be honored to have a wise companion," the young man said, chin lifting a bit. Favio eyed his son again. His sister did that. Idly he wondered if all of his children did and he groaned inwardly thinking about his younger sons and daughters. Would one of them be as intractable as Aleda?
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