(IC) Lost In Dreams [Peter]

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Yes, most Martians where this symbol.

And were there any people? is there food there? Does it look like a function hall, or a home? These visions are in real time, so it's the middle of the night that he is seeing, or are things fuzzier?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Nothing magical.

Trading medicine rather than dispensing it could be a little sketchy... He may have to look in on Kumar again soon.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Armstrong: "Jerky and biscuits. You can dunk them in boiling water if you want. We'll be taking a little extra time this morning"

We're in a friendly town and you guys are loaded and we can't get a fresh breakfast?

Peter looks at Goliath, and says softly as he rubs his ears:
"We should have gone home for waffles."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Cole saulutes Armstrong: "Sir, I understand we're bringing the kid with us?"
Armstrong salutes back: "Yes. He's a half-trained Yaka, including healing, and he replaced our scout. He says he has no where to go. He's dead useful. He will take orders from me."
Cole: "yes sir!"

Peter introduces himself, and clairifies:
"Hi, I'm Nichols, this is Goliath. Say Hi Goliath."
"ROUUUGH"
"I can do some healing, but that's not really Yaka, I'm curious how that works though."

Originally Posted by ericthered

The group is much formal now that Cole is there. Williamson speaks less.

Peter makes note of the dynamic shift... he is not surprised, he knows their "high value target" is keeping secrets. Peter wonders if the banquet hall he saw was somehow in honor of Williamson's safe return...

Originally Posted by ericthered

They have about three hours march to get to camp.

Piece of cake, as long as the terrain isn't too bad for Goliath. Peter checks on his paws before they get moving as he does periodically.

Peter will make conversation with Armstrong along the trip, partly about his yaka techniques, but about whatever. Do they have fishing on Mars? He enjoys the bonding and realizes how much he's been missing his father along the way.

He thinks about home with longing... and those waffles. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed he thinks. But then he remembers searching for strange plants to heal Williamson... What if next time he can't find the plants? What if the injury was worse and Williamson had died while Peter was looking for crabgrass? If he is going to keep doing these missions where he is showing up naked to save people, learning this Yaka could save lives. That's worth a few more days.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

And were there any people? is there food there? Does it look like a function hall, or a home? These visions are in real time, so it's the middle of the night that he is seeing, or are things fuzzier?

A few servants are still fininishing everything.

Its late(ish) at night... or maybe early morning. light is provided by an enormous number of candles and lamps. People do seem to be up though.

This looks like a function hall.

We're in a friendly town and you guys are loaded and we can't get a fresh breakfast?

Armstrong: "We're a little closer to the front lines that we'd like. Tell you what, we'll get a nice hot lunch."
Cole: "And I'm technically on Patrol Duty."

Peter looks at Goliath, and says softly as he rubs his ears:
"We should have gone home for waffles."

Williamson seem to hear that, and asks privately later "do you live nearby? you mentioned you could have gone home last night."

Peter will make conversation with Armstrong along the trip, partly about his yaka techniques, but about whatever. Do they have fishing on Mars? He enjoys the bonding and realizes how much he's been missing his father along the way.

They have fishing on mars. Armstrong hasn't done it much, but Cole has, and Williamson has "done it once or twice". Armstrong says the actual Yaka is not his strong point, but sword-play "I'm a soldier, not a mystic. I study in service of my king and my comrades"

He thinks about home with longing... and those waffles. Maybe he shouldn't have stayed he thinks. But then he remembers searching for strange plants to heal Williamson... What if next time he can't find the plants? What if the injury was worse and Williamson had died while Peter was looking for crabgrass? If he is going to keep doing these missions where he is showing up naked to save people, learning this Yaka could save lives. That's worth a few more days.

Peter gets that hot lunch Armstrong promised, but its not with locals: its with a Colonel Whitmore in a tent. There is a big steak with roasted potatoes and carrots. Colonel Whitmore is a stocky man with a fierce white mustache. Peter notices he wears the same sort of wire jacket as Armstrong.



When they reached the camp, Cole quickly got them in contact with the command chain, and then stepped away to other duties. Armstrong asked where Cole's unit (the 237th royal dragoons) is, with a promise that he'll meet up and buy the man a drink.



Armstrong is with Peter for the debriefing, but Williamson has gone on somewhere. Armstrong tells the colonel about the fortress, and about how Peter is Yaka, but only half-trained, very gifted, and that he saved williamson's life, and that Peter has no home to return to. Peter gets the impression the colonel knows exactly who Williamson is.

Colonel Whitmore: "You've done us a great service, son. One fitting of a reward. Before we give you one, I must ask: do you want a job, or do you want a commission, or do you want a home?"

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

A few servants are still fininishing everything.

Its late(ish) at night... or maybe early morning. light is provided by an enormous number of candles and lamps. People do seem to be up though.

This looks like a function hall.

So it appears they are preparing for some sort of a shindig?

Originally Posted by ericthered

Williamson seem to hear that, and asks privately later "do you live nearby? you mentioned you could have gone home last night."

"Not really, I was just being silly. Inside joke with the dog, which is to say, just amusing myself"

Peter enjoys the chatting and camaraderie. He rehearses his Yaka techniques in his mind as they march and compares the energy flow to the other forms of magic he's encountered. He examines the flow of the Voice... Can he figure out a way to dampen the extra noise surrounding it?

((OOC: Peter continues to unknowingly and likely futilely attempt to teach himself some form of Thaumaturgy and improvised magic. Maybe he can come back some day and show them how to do it with a whisper technique.))

Originally Posted by ericthered

Colonel Whitmore: "You've done us a great service, son. One fitting of a reward. Before we give you one, I must ask: do you want a job, or do you want a commission, or do you want a home?"

"I was happy to be of help sir. I'm not looking for any of those things just now, but thank you. I need to get going in the next day or two, so a room and board for me and Goliath before we go is fine. If you would like to reward me, I'd like to be shown how Yaka healing works, and portals too if we can do that. Armstrong has shown me the Blade, Armor and the Shield. Are there other kinds? I'm mostly interested in the healing and I'd really like to see that today if possible. That and hang out with these guys until they get orders!"

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

So it appears they are preparing for some sort of a shindig?

Yes, though if you called such a dignified event a "shindig" you'd cause a scene and get thrown out on your ear. Or get comments about being such an eccentric, depending.

"Not really, I was just being silly. Inside joke with the dog, which is to say, just amusing myself"

Williamson seems unsatisfied, but unable to press further.

Peter enjoys the chatting and camaraderie. He rehearses his Yaka techniques in his mind as they march and compares the energy flow to the other forms of magic he's encountered. He examines the flow of the Voice... Can he figure out a way to dampen the extra noise surrounding it?

Yaka has its own distinct flavor, but it has a LOT of different variants, and some are similar enough to others that they'll help him tell what effects do in the future.

Toning down the voice doesn't seem possible. Not unless he wants to use it to control other people's Karana or something. Maybe he could use it against people with Pacts? maybe not. Yaka is especially noisy in general.

"I was happy to be of help sir. I'm not looking for any of those things just now, but thank you. I need to get going in the next day or two, so a room and board for me and Goliath before we go is fine. If you would like to reward me, I'd like to be shown how Yaka healing works, and portals too if we can do that. Armstrong has shown me the Blade, Armor and the Shield. Are there other kinds? I'm mostly interested in the healing and I'd really like to see that today if possible. That and hang out with these guys until they get orders!"

Colonel Whitmore: "Two days room and board, plus Yaka instruction? that's a very humble gift, but one we can readily provide. I'd have to get Master West to talk about the complete list, and theoreticals, but the military basics are Blade, Armor, Shield, Voice, and Healing. The Door... we'll see about the door. The door is Hard, and expensive. even if it is exceptionally useful."



He's assigned a cot among the other Yaka, and told he can eat at a specific tent. An older grizzled man sits down with him. his accent has just a touch of american south to it.



"You can call me Master West. My rank doesn't matter here, for anyone really. You're Peter. I've been told to teach you as much Yaka as I can between my duties over the next two days. Your accent is American. I'm from Virginia. Or at least I grew up there. What part are you from? The accents are getting overwhelmed now-a days, at least on mars."


"I understand you can heal a little already, but you need herbs of some sort. I also understand you're a quick study. we'll visit the field hospital and observe."


The field hospital is quite for now, except for a single man brought in on a horse, his Left Leg shattered by a bullet. Another Yaka will be healing him... a Woman wearing what looks like some sort of nurse uniform... but in a really really old style.

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Toning down the voice doesn't seem possible. Not unless he wants to use it to control other people's Karana or something. Maybe he could use it against people with Pacts? maybe not. Yaka is especially noisy in general.

Food for thought.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Colonel Whitmore: "Two days room and board, plus Yaka instruction? that's a very humble gift, but one we can readily provide. I'd have to get Master West to talk about the complete list, and theoreticals, but the military basics are Blade, Armor, Shield, Voice, and Healing. The Door... we'll see about the door. The door is Hard, and expensive. even if it is exceptionally useful."

"Give or take. I think it will be just a few days, but I'm pretty sure less than a week. The door is expensive?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

He's assigned a cot among the other Yaka, and told he can eat at a specific tent. An older grizzled man sits down with him. his accent has just a touch of american south to it.

"You can call me Master West. My rank doesn't matter here, for anyone really. You're Peter. I've been told to teach you as much Yaka as I can between my duties over the next two days. Your accent is American. I'm from Virginia. Or at least I grew up there. What part are you from? The accents are getting overwhelmed now-a days, at least on mars."

"I'm from Massachusetts. What was the trip here like?"

"What kinds of yaka do you know?
Can you guys sense other yaka being used besides the voice?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I understand you can heal a little already, but you need herbs of some sort. I also understand you're a quick study. we'll visit the field hospital and observe."

"I'll show you mine too, but the energy is a bit different."

Originally Posted by ericthered

The field hospital is quite for now, except for a single man brought in on a horse, his Left Leg shattered by a bullet. Another Yaka will be healing him... a Woman wearing what looks like some sort of nurse uniform... but in a really really old style.

Peter is concerned for the man and tries to help, acting more like an eager orderly at first. If there is nothing to do to help, he starts to asks lots of questions and wants them to describe everything they are doing in detail.

He does get distracted repeatedly by unfamiliar medical devices from time to time. Peter is generally interested in everything that's not familiar, noting little details with enjoyment.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"Give or take. I think it will be just a few days, but I'm pretty sure less than a week. The door is expensive?"

Whitmore: "Yes. Four Yaka working for two days and a high chance of failure? its a big effort."

"I'm from Massachusetts. What was the trip here like?"

Master West: "I came over during the crisis, to learn from the Torrill. It was sedate. None of the Chaos of the later portals. I also served in Scotland, and in Columbia, before they stopped using americans there. The Columbian evacuation was the worst. "

"What kinds of yaka do you know?

Master West: "All of them"

Can you guys sense other yaka being used besides the voice?"

Master West: "Of course. You can, can't you? the faint buzzing of the armor is how we normally test for Yaka. The voice and the door are the ones that can be detected at range"

"I'll show you mine too, but the energy is a bit different."
Peter is concerned for the man and tries to help, acting more like an eager orderly at first. If there is nothing to do to help, he starts to asks lots of questions and wants them to describe everything they are doing in detail.

There is nothing to do: the woman focuses her Yaka energy and heals the man's leg, the bones and skin knitting together on their own rapidly. Peter is able to observe how the energy is manipulated, and thinks he might be able to do it himself.

He does get distracted repeatedly by unfamiliar medical devices from time to time. Peter is generally interested in everything that's not familiar, noting little details with enjoyment.

She and Master West both know little about the medical devices: "The Battle Staff handle those, when there are too many causalities for the Yaka to handle".

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Whitmore: "Yes. Four Yaka working for two days and a high chance of failure? its a big effort."

Peter wonders if that can be improved on, or if a lesser form of the technique might be doable by one person and he can figure out how to keep some pants when he jumps...

"Nice jacket by the way. Do you guys ever wire up your pants?"

"When you were asking if I wanted a commission, a home or a job... I have a... let's call it a wanderlust. If I had a place to stay when I was around, and a freelance gig when I am here, that would be cool, but I can't, like, commit to anything that you would want to arrest me for going AWOL if I didn't show up."

Originally Posted by ericthered

Master West: "I came over during the crisis, to learn from the Torrill. It was sedate. None of the Chaos of the later portals. I also served in Scotland, and in Columbia, before they stopped using americans there. The Columbian evacuation was the worst. "

Peter will try and probe deeper for additional details while trying to hide his level of ignorance...
"Can you tell me about the Torrill?"
"What was that like?"
"That must have been hard"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Master West: "All of them"

"Okay, so there's Door, that needs a bunch of people, and I've got the basics for Armor, Blade, Shield, the Voice. We're gonna go see Healing. Colonel Whitmore said those are the military basics and I should ask you about the others. What else can you do?"

Originally Posted by ericthered

Master West: "Of course. You can, can't you? the faint buzzing of the armor is how we normally test for Yaka. The voice and the door are the ones that can be detected at range"

"Oh, I can. I'm just usually the only one. "

Originally Posted by ericthered

Peter is able to observe how the energy is manipulated, and thinks he might be able to do it himself.

Do they do this without explanation? Do the Yakas seem to inuit this energy and think Peter will be able to pick it up by simple observation?
When the job ongoing, if Peter thinks he has the idea, he will ask,
"Okay, I think I see... can I try taking over?"

-----------

"Can you describe how Door works, or show me how the process starts anyway?"

"Can you charge up a Blade and throw it? How long does it stay extra sharp? Could I charge it and have someone else do the stabbing? Does it work on like something lance sized?"

"Ever try making like a giant metal hamster ball and bowling through the other army with it charged up armor and blade style?"


When Peter has exhausted Master West's time and patience and seen all the Yaka technique he is going to, he will check out the camp and go looking for Armstrong or Williamson (he does not ask for Williamson, but keeps an eye out)

I doubt there is a library at a camp, but in talking to people Peter will try and learn what he can about the history and the current conflict along the way.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by the_matrix_walker

"Nice jacket by the way. Do you guys ever wire up your pants?"

Whitmore: "Yes. though Mostly we use long coats and boots. its nice to have some real flexibility in your trousers."

"When you were asking if I wanted a commission, a home or a job... I have a... let's call it a wanderlust. If I had a place to stay when I was around, and a freelance gig when I am here, that would be cool, but I can't, like, commit to anything that you would want to arrest me for going AWOL if I didn't show up."

Colonel Whitmore: that will change what I can do for you. I cannot give you permission to wander about without orders... but we can show gratitude for past services."

Peter will try and probe deeper for additional details while trying to hide his level of ignorance...
"Can you tell me about the Torrill?"
"What was that like?"
"That must have been hard"

"The Torril? You've heard stories about the Torrill. The Pit Cities, the great caravans, the alignment festivals..."
"The biggest surprise about the Torrill was their memory for deals. They took their contacts very seriously. They're almost English that way."
"There were some very serious rules we had to follow. They were generous to us, really."


"I saw a lot of death that day. you should hope you never have to see it."

"Okay, so there's Door, that needs a bunch of people, and I've got the basics for Armor, Blade, Shield, the Voice. We're gonna go see Healing. Colonel Whitmore said those are the military basics and I should ask you about the others. What else can you do?"

OCC: I want GM wiggle room here...
"Detection, of course. people have played around with controlled independent motion, non-metalic strengthening, plant-healing, and metal bending. That's all very experimental."

"Oh, I can. I'm just usually the only one. "

"You've taken your first steps into a wider world. You are not the only Yaka."

Do they do this without explanation? Do the Yakas seem to inuit this energy and think Peter will be able to pick it up by simple observation?
When the job ongoing, if Peter thinks he has the idea, he will ask,
"Okay, I think I see... can I try taking over?"

No, the explaination involves visualizing the part of the body you're fixing, and setting up a "Tingling in your matching member". The slide the energy there, and "strengthen" it... they don't have vocabulary you can use there, they normally just have trainees practice on an animal until they get it right. Its quite a bit more complicated than on the clockwork world.



They don't want Peter trying here. Not until he shows he can do it on an animal.


"Can you describe how Door works, or show me how the process starts anyway?"

"Can you charge up a Blade and throw it? How long does it stay extra sharp? Could I charge it and have someone else do the stabbing? Does it work on like something lance sized?"

Master West: "No, skin contact is critical. the instant you break contact the Blade or Armor stops"

"Ever try making like a giant metal hamster ball and bowling through the other army with it charged up armor and blade style?"

Master West: "A hamster ball? I don't know what this is. I think a weapon and armor would work better. remember other Yaka are on the battlefield as well."

When Peter has exhausted Master West's time and patience and seen all the Yaka technique he is going to, he will check out the camp and go looking for Armstrong or Williamson (he does not ask for Williamson, but keeps an eye out)

I doubt there is a library at a camp, but in talking to people Peter will try and learn what he can about the history and the current conflict along the way.

Let me answer this later, please


(probably on monday, I've got a busy weekend)

[the_matrix_walker]

Originally Posted by ericthered

Colonel Whitmore: that will change what I can do for you. I cannot give you permission to wander about without orders... but we can show gratitude for past services."

"Really, you're doing plenty. Helping those numb-skulls save the day is it's own reward, plus I get to learn Yaka? It's all win-win. I get around a lot, by the way, so if you have a message you'd like them to have back to the fort, I might be able to get that through. I'm young enough the patrols don't see me as a potential threat after all."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"The Torril? You've heard stories about the Torrill. The Pit Cities, the great caravans, the alignment festivals..."
"The biggest surprise about the Torrill was their memory for deals. They took their contacts very seriously. They're almost English that way."
"There were some very serious rules we had to follow. They were generous to us, really."

Peter will make note and try and learn about these events and hear these stories when time allows if he can't coax more information out the man.

"I've heard less than you think... I mean, I heard of that stuff...(Just now)..but never really any details."

Originally Posted by ericthered

"I saw a lot of death that day. you should hope you never have to see it."

"I've seen some, and that's enough..."

Originally Posted by ericthered

OCC: I want GM wiggle room here...
"Detection, of course. people have played around with controlled independent motion, non-metalic strengthening, plant-healing, and metal bending. That's all very experimental."

Cool.

"Cool!"

Originally Posted by ericthered

No, the explaination involves visualizing the part of the body you're fixing, and setting up a "Tingling in your matching member". The slide the energy there, and "strengthen" it... they don't have vocabulary you can use there, they normally just have trainees practice on an animal until they get it right. Its quite a bit more complicated than on the clockwork world.

They don't want Peter trying here. Not until he shows he can do it on an animal.

"Okay, fair enough. I'd hate go get it wrong on an animal either, but better that than a person."

If they try bringing a healthy animal and injuring it so Peter can try (and he sees it coming), he will try and prevent them from harming a creature for him to do so. Perhaps they could find an animal with an injury small enough they would not have sent it to a Yaka otherwise?

Peter considers this energy flow through the body.. He compares it to forming Karana and contrasts it to what he felt and sensed when Senarich would alter him and puts some of that into perspective of what happens with BrokeWorld healing magic.

His head throbs a bit at the effort, but he clears his thoughts and envisions the karana patterns Avinash taught him. He pictures the paters sweeping across the other concepts, pulling many in and integrating them, and leaving others behind until the next pattern wave flows through. Most of the noise is absorbed and sorted, and finally the ones that remain are swept aside to be thought of next time. Their puzzle pieces not yet complete enough to work into the pattern and so are removed for the time being to leave the harmony of what fits. The incomplete thoughts sit out far on the peripheral, quietly waiting to fall into place. The headache starts to pass.

Originally Posted by ericthered

Let me answer this later, please


(probably on monday, I've got a busy weekend)

Thanks! Sorry to give you so much work... and Peter hasn't even gotten to asking about how the lights work yet... I kinda want the world-book.

[ericthered]

When Peter has exhausted Master West's time and patience and seen all the Yaka technique he is going to, he will check out the camp and go looking for Armstrong or Williamson (he does not ask for Williamson, but keeps an eye out)

Master West seems to have a good deal of time. He shows Peter the basics of the portal Yaka, a weird throbbing that you have to repeat for hours and hours while touching a constructed door frame. He shows exercises to improve the yaka blade, armor, and shield, as well as "grip training" to make sure you keep in constant contact with the metal. He has other Yaka he occasionally talks to, and a handful of times he has to meet with someone somewhere. but he seems to have a lot of time, at least the first day, to just drill Peter.



"Okay, fair enough. I'd hate go get it wrong on an animal either, but better that than a person."

If they try bringing a healthy animal and injuring it so Peter can try (and he sees it coming), he will try and prevent them from harming a creature for him to do so. Perhaps they could find an animal with an injury small enough they would not have sent it to a Yaka otherwise?

Peter considers this energy flow through the body.. He compares it to forming Karana and contrasts it to what he felt and sensed when Senarich would alter him and puts some of that into perspective of what happens with BrokeWorld healing magic.

His head throbs a bit at the effort, but he clears his thoughts and envisions the karana patterns Avinash taught him. He pictures the paters sweeping across the other concepts, pulling many in and integrating them, and leaving others behind until the next pattern wave flows through. Most of the noise is absorbed and sorted, and finally the ones that remain are swept aside to be thought of next time. Their puzzle pieces not yet complete enough to work into the pattern and so are removed for the time being to leave the harmony of what fits. The incomplete thoughts sit out far on the peripheral, quietly waiting to fall into place. The headache starts to pass.

He also wants to train Peter in Yaka healing on a sheep, by cutting its skin, and having him heal it, based on touching another sheep, and feeling the muscles and so forth... Peters done this before, so it should be easy, right?


If Peter balks, he'll set Peter to feeling the bones, muscles, and tendons in his leg using a sort of Yaka sense, and naming each one from a printed list.

I doubt there is a library at a camp, but in talking to people Peter will try and learn what he can about the history and the current conflict along the way.

The enemy is called variously "The French", "Earth Forces", "Revolutionaries", and "Republicans". They've been engaged with the "Royal Coalition" off and on for over 80 years, during which time fighting has spread to almost every corner of the globe, including the americas, India, china, Russia, and the middle east. It seems it all started with the French Revolution. The fighting also seems to have been markedly bloody, especially at the beginning. Napoleon's name is notable for its absence: he doesn't seem to have taken over France.

Peter will make note and try and learn about these events and hear these stories when time allows if he can't coax more information out the man.

"I've heard less than you think... I mean, I heard of that stuff...(Just now)..but never really any details."

The Torril are from Mars, specifically from the Aeolian coast, on the other side of the planet. They have a long history of empire. They're not only inhabitants of mars, but they are one the most famous. They achieved mastery over the planet a few centuries ago, before their empire collapsed, along with their population. The Torril were masters of Yaka, even before the empire, and that has enhanced their fame as well. Now they live by a tight code and set of rules, which they believe will prevent a second time collapse. They're also famously proud. They eat a strangely large-kernelled grain they turn into a mush, lots of root vegetables, and a lot of wild game. They generally wear tunics with wide colorful four-corner hats.

"Really, you're doing plenty. Helping those numb-skulls save the day is it's own reward, plus I get to learn Yaka? It's all win-win. I get around a lot, by the way, so if you have a message you'd like them to have back to the fort, I might be able to get that through. I'm young enough the patrols don't see me as a potential threat after all."

Whitmore: "just tell them you got us the message. We don't have a plan beyond that yet. And give them my name."