The Game

After setting up his small tent and a cooking tripod over the fire, Cato listens quietly, watching the others as they interact or settle into their own chosen tasks.

Cato takes interest in the books of the gnome professor Vortrin. He wonders if the gnome has some good maps.

Cato also hears the stressed exchange that continues with Elijah, sees Asterion walk away to gather himself.

Finishing a small stew, he splits the portion in two, one in his bowl and the other in a spare tin cup. He walks over to Elijah, who looks lost in stressful thought, and offers him the cup of soup. Still standing while he eats his own dinner, Cato speaks normally to Elijah. "Think of it. This has been a tough day for you, but could tomorrow be a turn in your luck. If the set of us is successful, perhaps we can overtake those vandals. Put an end to them. Then you could get your family back to you. Safe. Start a new life. Never end up in such a predicament again."

Cato nods at Elijah and continues, mixing talking and eating. "You should throw in your support for us, even though you feel raw about some of the exchange. This group could solve a problem for you, once and for all. You should do what you can, give us the best information along the way, do not try to undermine or expose us. It is in your interest for us to win this gamble. And if we do... you never have to see us again, and most importantly...you will be back with your wife and child. They are the ones that need you to support us most of all, Elijah."

Cato ends with a tilt of the head and arms raised to the side casually, as if to say "Why not?".
"Think about what I say. I may just be right," he says, to close the idea. Then he moves away, giving the captive man space, but hoping to change the man's motivation and perspective. Cato knows that nothing is certain, but he also has seen that you never know what little things said might change a man's mind and set him on a different path.

Cato then goes over to the gnome and speaks out in a friendly tone, "Vortrin, old fellow. I hear you refer to yourself as a Professor. That is a teacher of some sort, correct? At what place do you teach and who comes to you as students?"

If a conversation follows, Cato listens to learn. If possible, he tries to put forward a question, "Can you teach anyone how to read?"

Deruvid studies his spells a little going over them so they are fresh and then pulls his hood over his head and drifts off to sleep.

The Professor settles himself on his small log, his pack by his side as he takes out a tome and begins to pour over it. He listened half-heartedly to the conversation noting this Cato character's more diplomatic methods of dealing with the suspect character of Elijah.

Out of a need to demonstrate a compassionate side, rather than any actual care for the man who threatened his expedition, the gnome waved his small hand and with a simple command made the portion of stew taste delicious and turned the water in the man's task into a fine tasting ale. It wasn't truly alcoholic but its taste and feel should do the trick, at least it would provide some condolence to the man and maybe even get him trusting of the group.

Having returned to his tome, The Professor raised his head as Cato inquired of his academic pursuits.

"Well, my friend," Vortrin said to Cato, smiling. "I am a Professor of archaeology in the Faculty of Magical Artefacts, School of Archaeology at the Academy of Merios. My scholarly pursuits particularly revolve around trinkets, tomes and talisman of the older world and are predominantly those that are imbued with magic of some form or another. My students come from far and wide across the land to hear my teachings and benefit from my tutelage. I have travelled and explored many different areas of archaeological significance with my pupils uncovering some infamous archaeological finds including the Saddle of Koltherion, Gilded Horn of Valkarzan, Tarkoth's Quiver of Infinitude, Marked Manacles and the Whetstone of Everlasting Sharpening. In addition, I have been published in numerous Academic Journals including...."

The Professor drones on and on of his academic accomplishments and eventually finishes his list of accolades.

"In regards to your other question," The Professor continues after sipping from his waterskin. "Yes I can teach any willing pupil to read. Why do you ask, friend?"

The Dragonborn lays down- his mood is obviously down after slightly giving in to his evil nature. He remains quiet, and just decides to fall asleep.

Cato nods his head at Vortrin's question. He knows how he wants to answer.

"I wish to learn how to read," Cato says, without hesitation. "I have this." Cato reaches into his bag and pulls out a small bone scroll case, perhaps six inches long, an inch and a half diameter. He takes off the cap and unfolds a roughed folded and rolled piece of worn papyrus. He hands it to Vortrin. Vortrin can immediately recognize it as a list of the Arathusian alphabet.

"I have memorized it flawlessly. It is all the letters. I can recognize them on signs and written in books, but I wish to learn the words that they say when they are in line one with another."

Cato continues with Vortrin. "I wish to first to learn to read the words on maps, so that I can understand what is written about the cities and people and places of the lands. And if I am clever enough to master that, then I would learn how to read books and scrolls. I would like to be able to read written stories instead of having to wait to hear them spoken aloud."

He gets right to the point then. "So what do you say, Vortrin? Will you teach reading to me, since you carry so many books, and you are already a teacher?"

On the route, Cato pulls security, trying to have his eyes out to warn of any danger. He tries to take in the look of the landscape and make mental note of terrain features that might serve as good rally points for contingencies.

Cato is enthusiastic about the new reading training program that is underway with Vortrin. Cato has already learned a dozen or more words and is looking forward to the next lesson.

All the while, Cato keeps an eye on his friend Asterion, who he knows is struggling with the prospect of encountering his burdensome link to the Realm of Shadow.

The Professor's feet ached after a full day's hike toward the caverns, nevertheless his spirits remained high.

He had begun the morning with his usual routine. Splashing his face with water, casting prestidigitation to clean himself and his clothes, waxing and combing his white moustache and beard and brewing a coffee over the embers of the dying fire. He sat by the fire drinking his black coffee as he wrote on his parchments of the past day and what was expected of the coming day. He made annotations on his map which he finally remembered to show the group.

Having completed his morning routine, he packed his bedroll away as well as his belongings and made ready for the day ahead.

Before departing the camp he thought it prudent to take one final task: casting his Find Familiar spell and summoning his falcon, Pip.

As he hiked with the group, the Professor made sure to send Pip high and ahead of the group, forever watchful in hopes of spotting danger before it spotted the party of adventurers.

As he hiked he also reflected on the evening tutelage with Cato and noted with a smile at his quick progress in only a few hours. He was pleased with the thirst for knowledge he expressed and looked forward to the evenings lesson: Conjunctive verbs and the use non-finite verb compliments. Perhaps that was pushing things a little too far though. He did get carried away with this sort of thing. Perhaps pronouns were more appropriate.

He continued on and on, preparing for the lesson and debating its content and structure as he walked, his minds eye constantly vigilant through Pip.

As the sun rises, Elon begins his morning routine, which includes some food, stretches, and a quick prayer to his guiding voice. He dawns his armor, not sure what to expect the travels.

Well Awanesa and Leif, any thoughts on which direction to head?

I look around, feel some trees, and try to make sense of where we are and need to go.

I noticed tracks heading that direction Awenasa. Do you think thats the direction we should be heading?