The cities and villages of Melrath are as varied and diverse as they come. The capital of Raelia is the the jewel of this western kingdom, playing host to a merchants, artisans, Aesir priests, as well as a cut throat political landscape dominated by the nobles of Raelia. To the south in the depths of the Myrkvior Forest lies Melrath's second largest, and oldest city, Fensalir. Here people have learned to live alongside spirits and the natural world by maintaining their loyalty to traditions laid down the first Melrathi. To the east lies the small fishing village of Noatun, and to the western mountains rests the Mer city of Verimeer, the brewing town of Alivilda and the alpine village Vormund.
The morning was fairly nippy especially for Ymiden but that did stop Jasper this morning. The young man had departed his little house earlier. On this trial he was taking the chance to go for a ride but he wasn’t going to go alone. Jasper had left his Aesir robes at his place and was now dressed in a white cotton shirt and black pants and ridding boot and gloves. He quickly made his way towards the house he had been assigned to as an Aesir.
In no time at all he found himself at the gates of house Veldaris. Jasper could have kept his mount Laquin at other stables but there was a few benefits to working as an Aesir, also there was a certain prestige to a stable in housing a slepnier.
Jasper smiled at the guards as he arrived his handsome and friendly face was well known by now. Others of the Aesir liked to stay in the house but Jasper enjoyed his independence. Jasper couldn’t have said what he wanted to stay independent from but he just felt he needed to be free of it.
“Morning Fras and Pula.” Jasper called with a wave as he passed through the gates. He was greeted with returning welcomes. Jasper greeted others as he walked across the courtyard towards the stables. He didn’t hesitate and walked straight into the stables. He was greeted by welcomes from the stable hands who Jasper greeted with mornings of his own but his main focus was on his friend.
Laquin greeted him with a neigh and some excited prancing. The stallion was a beautiful creature but all slepniers were beautiful. Laquin was white, a rare color for adults of the breed. He knew his friend as there existed a deep bond. Jasper smiled as his friend rubbed his faces against he put stretched hand.
“Hello boy. Shall we go for a ride?” Jasper said with a laugh. The stallion gave him a look that said of course. Jasper laughter again and began to collect the saddle and bridal. The young man didn’t move to quickly as he was waiting for a friend to join him for the morning ride. So he took his time as he positioned the slepiniers saddle into place.
Last edited by Jasper on Wed Jun 24, 2020 10:35 pm, edited 1 time in total. word count: 386
Xanthe liked the stables, despite the smell of manure in the humid air, the stinking mud and hay that caked the soles of her boots, and the noisy boys that staffed the Veldaris stables. She generally kept to the one mare, Scout, a stunning pitch black thoroughbred with an even and agreeable temperament. It was second nature for Xanthe to make a beeline to her stall, waving off offers from the stablehands to saddle her. Xanthe preferred to do it herself, enjoying the time it took to place the blanket, check all the buckles and fit the bridle. It gave her a chance to prepare Scout for her ride, to ease the mare into cooperating with her and following her directions.
Xanthe led Scout from her stall once they were both ready, walking slowly down the aisle and peering into each stall as she passed. She soon found what she was looking for and drew Scout to stop to greet the Aesir and his Sleipnir. "Good morning Jasper." She greeted with a friendly smile, leaning against his stall door to watch him as he saddled Laquin. "How are you this morning?" She asked politely, tilting her head as she watched. She'd known Jasper for quite a while now, and the two had become quite good friends. Xanthe smoithed a hand down the front of her riding coat, picking a small piece of hay off of the front and flicking it away. "How has the new season been for you so far? Busy i bet."
Jasper looked up from his work as he heard the sound of someone and their horse approach. Well actually he just head the horse. The Lady Xanthe was ready for their morning ride already. The blond lady standing on the other side of the door smiling at him had been one of bright spots during his time in the noble house. Xanthe was an honest soul despite her living in luxury. She was also someone trying to find her self, much like Jasper himself.
The handsome young Aesir smile broadly in greeting even as he threw a riding blanket down before throwing the saddle on to Laquin’s back. “I am okay.” Jasper said in all honesty. It wasn’t his usual answer, but ever since the meddling Immortals had allowed the idiots to bring down the Emea he and others had suffered. Even now he his spark was comatose from hunger. The ether that it fed upon was dried up and so that little part of him was now almost not there. It could really dapper a good day. “How is your morning going Xanthe?”
He worked to secure the straps of the saddle which were structured a bit differently thanks to the extra legs and wings of the beautiful stallion. Jasper listened to Xanthe but also focused on securing the saddle. After all if it was wrong Laquin would be uncomfortable which could lead to Jasper on the ground. At one point while he was working Laquin nudged his shoulder in that way that sleipnir did with those they bounded to.
“My season has been a bit crazy so far.” Jasper agreed as he continued his work. He nodded once the saddle was secure. “What with people trying to play with the fabric of reality.” Jasper said with his normal grin. “Outside of that I have been asked to help a Lore Master with one of his field trips tomorrow.”
Jasper gave everything a final check before leading Laquin towards out of the stall. The sleipnir nudged Xanthe as they came by. “How has your season been going?” He asked as the two headed towards the edge of the door of the stables and freedom beyond. Jasper listened as Xanthe spoke and paused only for a brief moment when they came to the streets to ask. “To the Great Park, or shall we escape the city all together?”
Suddenly there was a hub of activity as messengers rushed about and before Jasper could figure it all out he found himself alone with his mount Laquin. The brown eyes looked around but the young Aesir shrugged and continued nudged the white Sleipnir out onto the main road. As the came out along from the house Laquin moved to open his wings since in this part of town there were few enough people that he could actually take off.
“Sorry buddy.” Jasper said leaning forward and stroking the magnificent creatures mane. “I love flying as well, but I think we need to practice traveling on the ground.” The sleipnir shook his head as if to say it was all the same to him. Jasper smiled and ran his hand down the creatures back, and they took off at a trout.
Jasper didn’t fall off but had to adjust to the changing in pace. There was a difference between flying and walking. The way Laquin’s muscled moved required change in the way Jasper sat. he was aware of that but he more often then not had found himself flying with Laquin so he hadn’t really mastered normal land riding. This trial he was going to change that. Well at least going to work on it.
Jasper indicated for them to head towards great park where there would be more room. Besides both of them enjoyed the chance to in as much of nature as the city would allow them. Jasper trusted his companion to get them there as he focused on the way the sleipnir moved. While flying the six legs moved but not in the same way the did along the ground, and with three sets of legs there was some difference as well in the movements. The young man also had to get used to the lack of the wing movement.
Jasper held the reigns and tried to not fight the movements and just let his body flow with it. He did keep an eye out though ahead of them as sleipnir were rather playful creatures, and sometimes hungry creature. It was a good thing though as he suddenly noticed Laquin’s ears wiggle in a warning way. His hand clenched the reigns as his eyes scanned for what could be causing that reaction. Not far ahead of them was a wagon filled weird frill sort of things. Jasper suspected they were some of fancy apparel. Jasper motioned for them to walk on the opposite side of the street. Other wise he was positive that he and Laquin would find themselves surrounded with the ugly feathers all the while Jasper holding on while the sleipnir frolicked among the remnants of the wagon.
Soon Jasper could see the great park ahead of them and he sighed in relief. There would be a lot less temptations. Laquin seemed to sense his excitement and moved walk into a trout that was working its way into a run. Jasper secured his grip and adjusted his hold to prepare for the change in speed. The young man enjoyed the increased pace. While he was used to it while flying there was still such a thrill when one could feel the wind rushing around them.
It was then that they crossed into the park and as they did so the sleipnir creature a spray of dirt as his hoofs came in contact with the ground instead of the paved road. Jasper bent over and held on tight to the reigns and while enjoying himself also focused on holding his seat. The slamming of the hoofs into the ground was a bit jarring and different from air travel but Jasper felt the bruises would be worth it the next trial.
As they raced through the large garden Jasper could sense the presence of minor wind spirits that seemed to gather in the wake behind him. the handsome Aesir was grinning broadly as they road just enjoying not being surrounded by buildings and streets, but by earth, and trees with the flow of the hills and the burble of the streams around them. Eventually though Laquin slowed down to a trout as they came upon a burbling stream.
Jasper reigned in and Laquin stopped. The tall young man slipped off of the creatures back and then patting his rump allowed him to go and get a drink from the steam. Jasper was already a bit sour but moved to keep his body from stiffing up. As he walked he could still sense some of the wind spirits that had trailed them, and still smiling Jasper began to slowly spin in among them and he whistled as he went. It was rather impromptu and didn’t last long but he enjoyed dancing with the spirits almost as much as he did in riding through the air.
Finding himself dancing along Jasper stopped and walked over. He often wondered how others could live in a world where they didn’t ride, either on land or in the air. He also wondered how they could live in a world where they couldn’t sense the spirits and experience the joy of moving among them. Jasper wasn’t prideful, he still knew there was much for him to learn about the spirits but he also wasn’t stupid and knew that many struggled to sense them.
Jasper walked back over to Laquin who was currently rolling of the ground itching his back. Jasper laughted and the six legged creature stopped and then sat up with an air of expectants. Kneeling down the farm boy began to rub and scratch where the horse indicated. Scrattching longer then was necessary Jasper enjoyed just being there with the sleipnir. After a while the creature began to nudge Jasper affectionally.
Smiling Jasper felt warmth at the joy of the trial. It had started a bit chaotic and slow and he was going to be sore tomorrow but it was worth it to spend time in the wilds.
Animal Training: Paying attention for warning signs the animal gives.
Animal Training: Showing affection back when it has been given by the animal.
Endurance: Walking out Soreness after riding.
Meditation: Dancing with the wind spirits
Mount: Land Riding a Sleipnir
Mount: When traveling by land Hooves hit the ground
Mount: Adjusting for Different muscle movements when traveling by land
Mount: Preparing for when the sleipnir starts running
Injuries/Overstepping: None.
Skillplay: Appropriate to level
Comments:
My first ever Jasper thread. It’s always a pleasure to read about new characters. I’m sorry you had to complete this thread on your own, though.
Jasper comes across as a likeable and generally happy character who enjoys the company of his mount. It’s always good to read a story that isn’t necessarily laden with angst and conflict.
There are a fair number of typos and grammatical issues in this thread: “steam” instead of stream, “soar” instead of “sore”, run on sentences, etc. It didn’t generally get in the way of either comprehension or enjoyment, and it’s not my usual thing to complain about, but I thought I’d point it out, anyway.
The relevant skill is “Animal Training”, not “Animal Handling”. You have it right on your CS, but not on your request.
