Post by The Stranger on Jun 4, 2008 16:38:16 GMT -5
After landing in Asshai, courtesy of a traveling ship-captain named Dhollanar Swiftwind, Evander of Lys wandered through the city for half a day just people watching. The men and women of Asshai were some of the most foreign looking and foreign sounding people he had ever seen. Asshai was nearly as large as Lys, Evander noticed after he walked across the city, with narrow streets and dark but dull colored houses. Above Asshai was a dark mountain, steeped in mystery, keeping all but the furthest edges of the city and its dock in its shadow.
Evander's bastard Valyrian was more helpful than his fluent Westerosi as he traversed the city, asking for the locale of any places of worship to R'hllor. An elder man in a bizarre purple and black stripped robe pointed him in the direction of a red priest's modest dwelling at the foot of the mountain that lay nearby. When Evander arrived at the house, he adjusted his red robe, tightened his belt one more notch and fastened his longsword tight to the belt.
The young red priest knocked twice on the door before hearing an answer from within and the sound of boot steps across a wood floor. The door opened slowly and a middle aged man stepped into the doorway, facing Evander.
Evander was quick to speak in his bastard Valyrian, "R'hllor's blessing upon you. I am a red priest of Lys, on a pilgrimage from Lys. I have come to explore R'hllor in Asshai."
Evander's nerve was calmed when the man spoke back in bastard Valyrian with what he assumed was a local accent, "Greetings stranger...welcome to the Shadow. Welcome to Asshai". He gestured Evander into the house, and as the younger man entered the elder's place of living, he made mental note of a wide array of odd artifacts and servants rushing around the house. The man looked a bit out of place himself with fire-kissed hair that fell far past his shoulders and a great beard so dark it was nearly crimson.
He motioned for Evander to sit in a cushioned chair within his solar on the second story of the house. "I have donated my life to R'hllor as you can see", the bearded man said as he pointed to religious tapestries and sculptures around the room. "In my early years, I too was a student at the Great Temple of Lys...but I found it was too limiting, and so I journeyed all over our known world. On several occasions I diverted from the path I had originally set upon, but no set-backs had permanent effects on me. R'hllor will blessed my journey and he will bless yours too", the man said as he poured wine for Evander.
"I'm Barrathew by the way", he said, extending his hand.
"Evander", Evander said, shaking the mans hand with strength.
"Ahh, a strong grip. And a strong looking sword", he said looking at the sheathed blade Evander carried. "I used to swordfight myself, but I doubt I'm any good anymore." He paused, thinking over something and then continued, "Actually, hold on. Let me show you a trick I learned-- it's very handy in all sorts of situations."
Evander nodded and followed Barrathew as the man led him outside behind the house. On the way out of the house his host had picked up a sword from atop a chest in the solar. Thirty yards from the back of the house, and still on the estate, Barrathew and Evander came upon barrels with jugs nearby.
Barrathew drew his blade and poured some of the liquid inside on his blade. He drew flint from a pouch on his belt and turned his back to Evander. When he turned back around, his blade was on fire and he was smiling widely, eying the blade up and down.
"How...?", Evander said as he watched the flames flicker around the steel.
Barrathew smiled back in response. "Draw your blade and lets test your skill", the elder red priest said.
Evander did as the man said and soon the two clashed blades with obvious skill. Evander was a little intimidated by the flaming sword and so he worked more offensively, as to avert the sword getting near his body.
Evander and Barrathew discussed, and Evander was later given stay in a small section of the house. Barrathew became his new mentor over the next few weeks, familiarizing him with Asshai, and helping to hone his skill in swordsmanship and teach him the mysteries of R'hllor.
Results:
Evander advances towards grandmaster swordsmanship.
Evander advances to beginner Mysteries of R'hllor.
Evander learns how to light his blade on fire.
Evander's bastard Valyrian was more helpful than his fluent Westerosi as he traversed the city, asking for the locale of any places of worship to R'hllor. An elder man in a bizarre purple and black stripped robe pointed him in the direction of a red priest's modest dwelling at the foot of the mountain that lay nearby. When Evander arrived at the house, he adjusted his red robe, tightened his belt one more notch and fastened his longsword tight to the belt.
The young red priest knocked twice on the door before hearing an answer from within and the sound of boot steps across a wood floor. The door opened slowly and a middle aged man stepped into the doorway, facing Evander.
Evander was quick to speak in his bastard Valyrian, "R'hllor's blessing upon you. I am a red priest of Lys, on a pilgrimage from Lys. I have come to explore R'hllor in Asshai."
Evander's nerve was calmed when the man spoke back in bastard Valyrian with what he assumed was a local accent, "Greetings stranger...welcome to the Shadow. Welcome to Asshai". He gestured Evander into the house, and as the younger man entered the elder's place of living, he made mental note of a wide array of odd artifacts and servants rushing around the house. The man looked a bit out of place himself with fire-kissed hair that fell far past his shoulders and a great beard so dark it was nearly crimson.
He motioned for Evander to sit in a cushioned chair within his solar on the second story of the house. "I have donated my life to R'hllor as you can see", the bearded man said as he pointed to religious tapestries and sculptures around the room. "In my early years, I too was a student at the Great Temple of Lys...but I found it was too limiting, and so I journeyed all over our known world. On several occasions I diverted from the path I had originally set upon, but no set-backs had permanent effects on me. R'hllor will blessed my journey and he will bless yours too", the man said as he poured wine for Evander.
"I'm Barrathew by the way", he said, extending his hand.
"Evander", Evander said, shaking the mans hand with strength.
"Ahh, a strong grip. And a strong looking sword", he said looking at the sheathed blade Evander carried. "I used to swordfight myself, but I doubt I'm any good anymore." He paused, thinking over something and then continued, "Actually, hold on. Let me show you a trick I learned-- it's very handy in all sorts of situations."
Evander nodded and followed Barrathew as the man led him outside behind the house. On the way out of the house his host had picked up a sword from atop a chest in the solar. Thirty yards from the back of the house, and still on the estate, Barrathew and Evander came upon barrels with jugs nearby.
Barrathew drew his blade and poured some of the liquid inside on his blade. He drew flint from a pouch on his belt and turned his back to Evander. When he turned back around, his blade was on fire and he was smiling widely, eying the blade up and down.
"How...?", Evander said as he watched the flames flicker around the steel.
Barrathew smiled back in response. "Draw your blade and lets test your skill", the elder red priest said.
Evander did as the man said and soon the two clashed blades with obvious skill. Evander was a little intimidated by the flaming sword and so he worked more offensively, as to avert the sword getting near his body.
Evander and Barrathew discussed, and Evander was later given stay in a small section of the house. Barrathew became his new mentor over the next few weeks, familiarizing him with Asshai, and helping to hone his skill in swordsmanship and teach him the mysteries of R'hllor.
Results:
Evander advances towards grandmaster swordsmanship.
Evander advances to beginner Mysteries of R'hllor.
Evander learns how to light his blade on fire.