*At the Abandoned Ruin...*

[Vau]

*Vau walks up the hill through the frosted grass glinting in the pale morning light. He stops well short of the fortifications and stares for a time at the neglected shelter, the few shreds of remnant decoration, and the long cold fireplace. As he stands for a time his voice, no more than a soft purr for a change, can be heard on the icy winds.*

Ukh-izg tau-u
Amal hon-lob-uz
afburz-ug thumbog uzg-as
agh tau zatal mor agh zabiis
kraibag-izg kraibag
agh fiil naraklasj yonk

narsja lat narkul-izg
narsja lat
narsja lat sjaut asjûk-izg
narsja lat
narsja lat kû-izg narsja lat
sja lat kû dâl
kû snork narsja lat

dru-ir foglal-ir
rad ulu quiil agh nar-slaium
agh su-morurz-izg
kraibag-izg kraibag
agh fiil naraklasj yonk

narsja lat narkul-izg
narsja lat
narsja lat sjaut asjûk-izg
narsja lat
narsja lat kû-izg narsja lat
sja lat kû dâl
kû snork narsja lat
_________________
"Was tust du, Was fühlst du, Was bist du, doch nur ein, Tier"



Gary Smith, Derby Referee, TGG

[Vau]

*Vau starts up the hill toward the ruin, but then stops and turns away. He settles instead by one of the overgrown stones that lie strewn nearby. He takes out a parchment, quill and ink bottle, pausing briefly to thaw the ink with the heat of his hand, before proceeding to write seemingly oblivious to the chill wind across the hill*
_________________
"Was tust du, Was fühlst du, Was bist du, doch nur ein, Tier"



Gary Smith, Derby Referee, TGG

[Vau]

*A short time later an orc arrives, dressed in the light leathers of a skirmisher and covered in a cloak. The jewel of a Rolborian Holy symbol glitters on her chest.*

Vau, Sharkû shum nûrzûrz-shi lat. Ghashn-ta flâgît-lat, ghashn-ta globûrz nargzab tob sha-lat agh ta baiûrz-ûr lat.

*Vau shrugs with uncharacteristic calm.*

Flâgît-izg, Veracity. Ukhut-lat lataan izg--ûr? Krampum-izg skûtog-narglûr kaalgrisch.

*The orc tilts her head slightly.*

Nardorozg-lat? *she barks a short laugh* Nardorozg-lat narkû! Ukh-izg!

*Vau hands her the finished parchments.*

Kaalgrisch Fleetfoot-hai grat Lillian. Dumûlarz?

*Veracity nods*

Dumûlarz.

*She walks down the hill toward the treeline where a low wolflike growling can be heard, leaving Vau sitting on the ice hardened ground to contemplate the ruin.*
_________________
"Was tust du, Was fühlst du, Was bist du, doch nur ein, Tier"



Gary Smith, Derby Referee, TGG

[Palthera]

*A fine chestnut horse trots across to the fortifications. Astride it is a slender elfin woman with long black hair and a joyless face. At the edge, she fastens a letter to a post with a brioken bit of knife, a rose seal can be seen below the name "Vau". Message delivered, she turns her horse about and rides off.*
_________________
Crystal Rose Fleetfoot
Travelling Entertainer
Captain of the Tesrae Militia
Littlest Damn Hero

(Cara Dutson BR08)

[Vau]

*Near the bottom of the hill a drift of snow suddenly bursts apart and Vau appears from below the canvas squinting against the piercing glare from the snow to watch the rider leave. Once she is out of sight Vau trudges through the snow to reluctantly approach the ruin as if he is treading uninvited on something incredibly precious.*

*Vau snatches the broken blade out of the post and catches the scroll as it falls. He then swiftly retreats through the snow away from the ruin, down toward the stone and bivouac he has been secluded in. His hand trembles once, but not through cold, before he breaks the seal and unrolls the short scroll to read.*

*It takes only moments to read and his expression does not change from his habitual frown, but somewhere in his snow seared eyes the light of hope he had never even admitted to himself finally dies...*

*He closes his eyes against the sting of the light to pray, his voice now harsh, guttural, the mannish element almost entirely absent.*

Lûp Mûkfrûmlobaz. Rad iist-izg amash quûr-tob slaium sha. Narbugab. Gaakh duurfit-tob agh sigûrz slaium.

*Vau opens his now hollow eyes and ignoring the discomfort quickly gathers his possessions and, without a backward glance, leaves the ruin and Tesrae with one final guttural whisper...*

Goodbye, Crystal-az
_________________
"Was tust du, Was fühlst du, Was bist du, doch nur ein, Tier"



Gary Smith, Derby Referee, TGG