What Makes A Cavalier Attitude?

Log Info

• Title: What Makes A Cavalier Attitude?

• Emitter: Zofija

• Characters: Aelwyn, Zofija

• Place: Alexandria Colosseum

• Summary: Aelwyn gets robbed by a griffon while learning more about cavaliers.

Colosseum District, early afternoon.

The bright skies and warm weather, while a boon to the majority of the city, were less happily received by those seeking various forms of training and exercise outdoors. Many had ditched their heavy armor, unless absolutely necessary.

One person taking up a large portion of the grounds was an Arvek-nar atop a brown gryphon, who had set up down the entire length of the arena. And judging by the large hammer held off one side and the smashed and splintered wood on some of the target dummies, they appeared to be taking a circle around for another go.

This was the day Aelwyn could have considered even wearing armor - but why not just wear less and just soak in the hot, sweltering sun and let it warm the scales? Especially since the ruddy sith-makar was in exceptionally good spirits. Walking down the Colosseum with a particularly fashionable jacket of fiery colors and red ribbons, the draconian strode over towards the gryphon and its rider.

"Rider," He calls out with a wave of his hand. "This one has not seen such a beast in this city!"

The rider in question pulls back suddenly on the reins with their free hand as the gryphon slows their trot sharply to a stop.

"At least you have the sense not to approach without making your presence known. Stay away from the rear please, still prepared for combat so if you get clawed it's not my fault." The arvek-nar grunts. "I'm no more a beast here than you are, little sith. Though I suppose a griffon fits the bill better and makes more sense."

Aelwyn lays down the glaive and lightly leans against it, tilting his hips with a wide grin. "This one can be quite the beast, this one agrees. Though it is quite " The Dragoon then looks at the griffon, twisting his lips. "This one shall take the warning. Though this one has no urge to approach such a fine beast without due care."

Picking up his weapon again, he bows his head, "Aelwyn, a Dragoon." Then he straightens, gesturing. "This one has not seen a winged beast of such before - recent arrival?"

"Well, beasts come in all shapes and sizes, it's true. Appreciate it, I'd rather not have to deal with Screech or anyone else being injured." The arvek-nar shrugs, hefting their hammer and resting it on one shoulder, while the large gryphon turned it's head to regard the makari with a singular eye. "Didn't know blar had and makari in its ranks, maybe things have changed around there, it has been a while. Unless you're referring to cavalry regiments elsewhere."

Zofija pauses to wipe their brow with their free hand, transitioning after a moment into a proper salute. "Skyguard Zofija Vogt, former second lieutenant of the Blar sixth cavalry regiment. Good to meet you, and nah, been around here plenty of time. Feels like a third home at this point, really."

Aelwyn tilts his head curiously, staring at Zofija for quite some time. It was mostly trying to parse her words, and he slowly narrows and unnarrows his eyes. It is only when she introduces herself that it clicks. "Ah, this one is pleased to meet one of the cavalry, Skyguard." Then he gestures at himself, "But this one is not of Blar, this one is from across the sea, this one is of the road." He explains, assuming if that would make any more sense.

Then he looks at the Gryphon, and then back at Zofija. "This one has two questions - why has this not seen one in the TarRaCe -" And taking a step closer towards the gryphon, he then looks at Zofija. "And second, does Screech fly?"

"Formerly of the cavalry, Dragoon." The arvek-nar corrects with a shake of her head. "Fair enough, I probably would have heard something if that was the case. Didn't know Am'shere had cavalry of any formal organization, but I wouldn't be surprised regardless."

The cavalier takes a moment to think on the matter, and they shrug. "Drinking ale is cheaper at home if I'm even going to. And no, Screech doesn't fly yet. Shouldn't be long now, Probably next molt or the one after, when their adult flight feathers come in."

Aelwyn clicks his teeth and looks at the gryphon, "Tch, that is a shame." But then his teeth come visible in a wide macabre grin. "But what an exciting moment shall that be." He flicks his tail rapidly. "To take to the skies must be quite the honor, indeed."

Turning back towards Zofija, Aelwyn rumbles and shakes his head again, before he grins. "No, this one is not from Am'shere." He gestures towards the ports and tilts his hips against, grinning with wide sharp teeth. "The Golden Coast. Skyguard must have not heard of this one's order - since this one is not in one." A threatening grin. "Yet."

GAME: Zofija rolls knowledge/military theory: (16)+8: 24

"It's not a shame, it'll happen when it happens, just our job to look out for each other. Well, maybe a bit of a shame, since getting a gryphon through the streets here is a pain in the ass every time." The arvek-nar chuckles, with the gryphon clacking it's beak a few times.

"You aren't from Am'shere? I thought that's where you all came from, other than that place outside of Alexandria, but I don't think those there are that old. You're small, but I don't think you're a kid. Pretty certain, at least. You seem pretty confident in yourself though, pretty boastful in some ways. Normally it's bad luck to claim something when it's not finished, so let me guess, one of those cockatrice blokes are interested in you?"

Aelwyn makes a face. He hadn't considered that part of the fanciful cavalier life. Instead, he leans against the spear. "Not all kin are from Am'shere," The draconian explains - then starts to grow a more sombre, sullen look.

"This one is not _small_ and this one is more than willing to demonstrate." He roughly rumbles - then pauses as Cockatrice is mentioned. "How did one guess?" He asks with a surprised look on his face, surprised enough to drop his accent.

Aelwyn has left.

"Noted. Not from the jungle, or from different ones. That or, shit, that's a taboo isn't it, if you've got bad reasons for not growing up in Am'shere then I apologize."

The hobgoblin snorts once, and drops the head of the hammer off to the ground, kicking up a small cloud of dust from the sandy floor. Zofija rested their hands beneath their chin on the pommel. "You are small though, I may know pretty little about you makar folks but if you aren't a kid then you're small. Not sure how you demonstrate not being small." The hobgoblin puts bluntly. "It was just a guess, but like I said, bad luck to talk about how you're about to be the newest knight in an order in most cases. Cockatrice being a notable exception."

Aelwyn tilts his head, then waves his hand. "Am'shere or not - this one knows where the true home lies. A pull or not, yet this one's path is certain." He states, clicking his tongue then. The mention of being small makes him straighten his spine and stand a little straighter. "This one is _not_ small. It is simply that the makari here are _tall_." He speaks through his teeth.

Then he gestures, "This one also thought one's kin were taller, too. Not that this one met many in the Golden Coast." He says, with a brief harumph and crossing of his arm.

At the mention of cavalier orders, he tilts his head, making another click and tilting his hip. "It is bad luck? This was not aware. This one always thought those were destined to be part of the order - and what kind of exception are Cockatrice?"

"Well, you got your head screwed on straight in that regard, so sounds like you're fine there." The arvek-nar nods once, almost sideways as the griffon they were riding decides to step to the side. "What, are they abnormally large? Well, I suppose that big silver guy looks pretty scary, that's true."

"They're an exception, simple as that. It's normal to be proud of what you do, but it's not the main driving force, I guess those purple rose folks are an exception too, since it's only the two groups." Zofija shrugs again. "Like, none of the others make personal glory one of their main tenets, you know?"

Aelwyn's orange eyes narrow a bit at that regard, but then his attention is stolen by the griffon. He flashes his teeth at the glorious beast, leaning against his burning glaive a bit more. "Yes. They are very large." The ruddy sith-makar states flatly. "Spelldancer? Average. This one? Above average." He nods firmly.

The Dragoon clicks his teeth again. "Is there something strange to make furthering of oneself odd choice? Whyfor reach for the sky, if not to reach higher?" He asks. "... speaking of which, what Order does Skyguard belong to?"

Zofija only had a single boot dangling from the saddle after yet another step from the gryphon. "Alright, getting a bit hard to talk like this for an extended time. Take a break if you want it Screech." The arvek-nar grunts before dropping to the ground. Screech turned around, and flopped unceremoniously to the colosseum floor.

"I'll take what you said at face value for now, since I have got zero clue about where you're from. But I've seen Mictlan before on some patrols." They point out. "Glory for the sake of glory is dangerous. Real dangerous. It's how a lot of people die for no good reason whatsoever, and bring others down with them. Still, sometimes positive change does need a push, it is true." She muses, stretching out properly and looking down to Aelwyn. "Still got ties to the order of the scales and I haven't pissed them off enough to be court martialed or disavowed. Know anything about them?"

Aelwyn shakes his head. "Order of the Scales?" He asks, with a tilt of his head. There's a long moment of humming and hawing, as he looks towards the griffon, but then he shakes his head. "This one has not heard of them." In any of the heroic stories he devoured. "... is it related to the kin?" He asks carefully.

At the mention of glory, Aelwyn flashes his teeth. "There is no glory in stupidity, is there? Therefore, why would one strive to die for something that would give them the opposite?" He folds his hands over his glaive and looks at the griffon. "... Where does the winged one sleep, either way?"

"Really? Nothing at all?" The arvek-nar asks, sounding just a hint incredulous. "Guess they kind of keep to themselves, yeah. No one is excited to say 'oh boy, the lawyers are showing up!'. Kin? You said that again, I guess it is an arvek-nar thing. Or a Blar thing to be more specific."

Zofija looks back to the gryphon that is currently looking back at Aelwyn, appraising the makari. "Oh go on, say hi to them, they wouldn't be laying there if they saw you as an immediate threat. Give them a scratch behind the neck feathers, they like that." She grunts. "Got a stable out by the north gates, far enough they aren't spooking the horses since you know, they tend to prey on them in the wild fairly often."

Aelwyn hides the way his tail was swaying rapidly. It was a poor job. The Dragoon looks at arvek-nar, then slowly nods his head. "This one presumes there are not many songs written of the Order of Scales." He says, tilting his head. "Nor many tales shared in the taverns." There's a moment, and then he rumbles quietly to himself. "... not many of the cockatrice either..."

But the opportunity to give the griffon a scratch proves too much of a distraction, and the ruddy (and runty) sith-makar starts to slowly approach the griffon, reaching out with his hand carefully. "This part here?" He asks.

"Yeah, suppose there aren't too many tales about them. Few childrens stories back home I suppose, you know, trying to instill some morals and all that since if you break an agreement wrongfully, then the knights are going to come and make sure you fix that." The arvek-nar muses, gesturing with one hand. "Really? I've heard plenty of tales about them. Granted, some of them since they named themselves like a big middle finger to bludgun so that gets plenty of blar folks talking about them, and myrrish kingdoms like keeping tabs on royalty since they really care about their nobility there."

The gryphon in question kept one eye on the makari as he drew closer, clacking it's rather large and threatening looking beak a few times. "Yeah, you're doing fine. It's good practice anyways, I don't want Screech being a threat to people on the streets y'know."

Aelwyn turns and shrugs his shoulders. "What can this one say? This one heard the best of stories. And stories have way of growing into legends in the endless golden sands and its mirages." He flashes his teeth then turns around slightly in a flashy way. "Ah, this one would wish to know more of the other Orders though."

Then the Dragoon turns back towards the griffin, twisting his lips. The beak didn't threaten him - but scaring off the beast did. So he takes another step forward, and another, and then carefully leans over - before ruffling the creature's feathers. "Huh. That is a gentle beast." He grins in a macabre way.

"Yeah, they've got a way of doing that. Always tricky to balance, you don't want stories getting out of control." Zofija grunts. The griffon closes their eyes, threatening to bowl the small makari with a headbutt, seemingly enjoying the attention. "Gentle when they wantt to be. They're smart enough to know their own strength, and when not to maul something." Zofija chuckles. "Where's your mount Aelwyn, or did you come out to do some training without them?"

Aelwyn leans further over and then fearlessly slides his hands around the feathers and grinds his claws into the flesh, trying to get at the itchy spots. "That is good, for this one has a habit of biting back when clawed at." He spreads his teeth into a wide grin. "And tch, stories are like living beings - they desire to spread out and grow, until they flood the world."

At the mention of the mount, Aelwyn suddenly leasn back onto his feet and he gives Zofija a look. "... this one does not have one yet." And hurriedly, "I do know how to ride! Yet... no mount yet." He clicks his teeth. "This one was not born next to a brave mount to be raised and trained with like the cavalier this one knows."

"... And you're only saying that now because you think I never would have let you get close if you mentioned that." Zofija notes pointedly. "Even though I was pretty certain you weren't at risk."

A pause, as Screech continues enjoying the attention. The arvek-nar blinks. "You don't have a mount and you're claiming to be a member of an order shortly?" They ask bluntly. "And you weren't referring to me there just now, were you?"

Aelwyn shakes his head quickly. "No, this one knew of Rider." He explains, probably to no helpful avail. Then he twists his lips, leaning weigh on one foot. "Is it such a trouble?" He asks, clicking his teeth. "Sure there are others who do not have mounts?"

At the other pointed remark he simply rumbles, "Tch, why would this one now hold back such information? It simply did not arise in a natural conversation."

GAME: Zofija rolls 1d20+3: (15)+3: 18

GAME: Aelwyn rolls perception: (4)+1: 5

"A lot of people are riders. I take it you don't mean me though, good. I've done plenty of assuming today, which is pretty shit when I would be annoyed of people assuming something of me, which is not really fair." Zofija shrugs, wandering over to pat the griffon on one wing, who was rather sneakily flipping open the makari's satchel while he was busy.

"Well, yes, sort of. Usually if that happens, it's because they're already in the process of raising, training, or finding one. Of course I can hit things on the ground, but it's kind of integral to the whole knightly order thing, I you know?"

The satchel held many secrets, but it no longer held any very gnawable jerky in it. Wonder what happened to it? "Tch, this one would never assume." He flashes his teeth at the arvek-nar, stepping away to give Zofija more space around the griffon.

"That is true, yet this one has not found a mount." He explains, with his arms spread. "For this one's heart longs for the sky, and there are not many dragons that would take this one up there."

GAME: Zofija rolls perception: (6)+4: 10

"Is that so, or are you just saying that? Most people assume even if they wouldn't admit they do. It's only natural as people." Zofija grunts, taking the chance to recheck all of their mount's bindings.

"So I take it a horse is out of the question." She chuckles. "Well, I don't know enough about you to make any suggestions that I'd feel comfortable about, not even for any bribery. But maybe there are ways you could sort that out."

Aelwyn waves his hand. "Now why would this one assume anything, when one's song has only started, and dance is yet to begin?" He replies, then walks away as the other starts to get ready.

At the other comment, the Dragoon tilts his head. "There are ways?" He asks, clicking his teeth. "In what ways?"

"Ah, forget I said anything. I'm thinking too literal there." Zofija waves off herself. "Honestly, should have just done something else to let me know you needed a break." They grumble to the griffon, who clacked their beak a few more times, swallowing their stolen prize from the dragoon's pack.

"Ways? Yeah, there are ways, but I told you, I don't know you well enough and the myrrish kingdoms are real protective of their griffons. Still, I suppose if you are really potentially in the good graces of a myrrish lord, maybe they'd be able to help you out."

Aelwyn clicks his teeth. "Hmmh." He ruminates, but then suddenly bows his head. "This one shall take the advice to heart, Skyguard." Then he straightens. "May the skies treat them well." He bows his head again, and then turns around, walking away towards the exist of the Colosseum, now with new thoughts in mind.