Berra — Duck Talk
1627, Fire Season, Illusion Week
Context
Fire Season, Illusion Week, Freezeday. [[[s02:session-44|Session 44]]]
Events
“If you start drawing the Truth Rune, then stop and come back to it later, it is still one Rune?”
“What do you think?”
“I think it’s all the same Rune no matter how you draw it. Or if you don’t.” She blinks “But I wouldn’t have known that unless you’d asked me.”
There’s a beaky grin.
“Is this related to how Lord Godfri doesn’t carry a sword that you can see? It must be, right?”
“Yeth…. in a way.”
“But not one that I’m ready for?”
“It’th not my way. I don’t think it’th yourth either.”
“Oh. I had thought that was a thing useful to learn. Good to learn. But I hadn’t thought of it as a way. I thought I’d be a front line warrior until I asked for more guidance. Now, I’m not sure.” Berra’s expression is not easily readable.
“The empty hand ith a belief thythtem.” He pauses. “Lord Eril doeth not approve. But they thay the thword ith not nethethary for theparation. The idea of the thword. They kill, if at all, with the power of the God, and make their handth a thword and their actionth a theparation.” He shrugs again. “I am a practical Durulz. I find a thword workth.”
“What does Lord Eril approve of?”
“You would have to athk him that.”
“I asked him why he doesn’t like ducks.”
“And?”
“He has a really bad view of humans, and thinks that ducks are a reminder of the worst of it. I can’t even think what it must be like to have to be him every day.”
The duck gives a brisk nod. “Jutht as well we don’t then.”
“Yeah. But… to have to get up and just be disappointed in people? Ugh. But while I’m thinking of it, you’re not going to join his cult, are you?”
“I don’t think tho.”
“We’re readying for war again but not yet ready to march. How long do you think it will be?”
He shrugs. “Not sure. It’th messy and political.”
“Oh joy. I might have to go back out to that muster of Esrolians, and I don’t know if I’ll have time to learn magic. Can you teach me anything useful about swimming in a short time?”
“Breathe when your nose or mouth are above water”
“…”
“What? That’th IMPORTANT.”
“Yes, but I had found that out already. It’s how to do it, that matters.”
“Imagine you’re trying to climb a ladder very fatht.”
Berra acts that out slowly and thoughtfully. “Upwards?”
“Yeah. Not quick, and not pretty, but easy.”
“Where can I try this out that I’m not going to actually drown? The river up where I live isn’t for swimming in, and I wasn’t near swimming water in Nochet.”
“Get your Uroxthi to stand in the water to pull you up if needed.”
“He’s out with the Esrolians. Someone… I can probably ask Suuraki. He’s a High Llama. They’re tall.” She pauses, and then blurt-adds, “And he did it before, when I was really drowning. His dagger-axe is very useful.”
“Try not to drown. I would be dithappointed.”
“Yeah… um, so not in armour?”
“Not in armour.”
“Right. It’s getting dark now. Not in the dark either?”
“Also true. And you want to be warm after. You will chill fast in the water.”
“So bring an animal to warm up against, and some dry clothes. Right. Yes. Tomorrow I have to find a signaller and find Suuraki and go swimming, then.”
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Berra talks to D’Val about Truth, Ducks, and Swimming
