Excerpts from Nef's Journal - a prolonged thread.

Nefnate

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Jun 23, 2021
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Hello all,

I am going to use this thread to collect all of the excerpts shared from my journal. This first post will serve as a pathway to each entry through the thread. I plan to update this regularly until my adventures in Nave come to an end.

Cheers to anyone who finds the time in their day to experience the adventures I share.




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KEY:
T... Text
V... Video
HDV... High Def. Video


TABLE OF CONTENTS
<I> ... A Wet-eared Bandit Gets Existential (T, HDV)
<II> ... A Nature Walk Gone Awry (T)

<III> ... A Tux is Always Good to Have Around (T, HDV(wip))
<IV> ... Good Fortune, Bad? (T)
<V> ... A Trio, Marked: I (T)


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Nefnate

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Jun 23, 2021
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A Wet-eared Bandit Gets Existential (T, HDV)


I was enroute to Tindrem from Meduli, carrying a parcel for the Provinces.

Around half way through the journey, I noticed someone moving toward a nearby treeline.
I try to approach those I encounter, set an example that not all you meet are foes,
so I went to say hello.

They came from behind a tree, a great hammer raised in the air.

I rode on, now facing a bandit, as a traveler would never swing first. Not one with a clear
mind. I looped around and dismounted to dispose of them. I don’t like leaving threats roadside.

As we neared each other, they seemed more keen to conversate than to battle. I was wary.
It wasn’t long until Nez’s rambling revealed a certain level of volatility. I decided to leave. Afterall,
I had a parcel to deliver. I turned my back, and on my lips were words of departure, when the
bandit flew forward, lunging at my horse.

Striking at me is one thing, but at my horse? I scorn such brutality.
He pressed his assault, and we began to dance.

Using my great-blade to match the ferocity of his hammer, we found ourselves evenly matched,
until a mounted archer happened upon the scene. He fired his bow in my defense, sending Nez running.
As much as I appreciated the gesture, it was my fight to settle. It took a moment, my speech slurring
in my rush, but finally the archer Balvrikk understood and rode away.

I tracked Nez further, to the edge of the north western coastline that spans Tindrem to Meduli.
Here, my vision fluttered. I am prone to disorientation. I lost the upperhand, as Nez was upon me
in seconds. The maul wielding bandit was fast, swinging his weapon with deftness I could not read well.
The fight had us both hurting, evenly matched yet again, trading blows and narrow misses.

Suddenly, he backed away, and claimed he was afraid of death and wanted to stop what he called a duel.
Lost in the fact that he attacked my horse, I could not let the disrespect go. I pressed on.

With his nerves frayed, I gained the upper hand.
Before I had a chance to speak with him further, his corpse hit the ground. If only I had been less forceful.

I gathered the little from his things I cared for.
As I turned back toward my steed, to pack and heal our wounds, I wondered.
Had I been too harsh in my treatment of the bandit?

Now, I shake my head. I still don’t know.

To Balvrikk, the mounted archer. I nod to your honor. Thank you.
To Nez, I hope this experience helps you find surer footing.
As the path to Banditry and Murder is not well kempt,

& attacks on innocent horses will lead to many a fall.

 
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Nefnate

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Jun 23, 2021
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Nature Walk Gone Awry (T)


Late yesterday afternoon I decided to go for a couple of walks out into the wild.
I figured I could grab some horses. As usual, I donned naught but leather on my skin,
had a pouch of reagents and a sword to defend myself with.

I took my time on the roads, often letting my mind wander (I was auto walking along
the roads while chatting IRL). I had a successful trip, stabled a horse and took a rest in town
before setting out again. I took the time to stop and admire the world as I went. Making
space to appreciate the slower aspects of life is key to finding balance of self, something
I am always in need of.

Before I knew it, the sun had lowered and it became dark. I quickened my steps then.
Not long until only the moon would guide me. As I walked a horsemen appeared behind me,
I heard the hooves and turned. One look at the heavily clad warrior told me everything I needed
to know. They dismounted as I eyed them and ran toward me. I drew my blade.

They unleashed a vicious onslaught. It was instantaneous, the fact that this hulking warrior
would crush me head to head. In the dark I watched their blade glint in the dying light as they flew
about me with flourishing arcs, barely deflecting stabs and slashes from every angle.

I remembered the terrain as best I could. I knew there were trees not too far to the West,
being between Fabernum and Tindrem, and thought if I could tire the creature out and make
the tree line, I could vanish into the darkening night.

I took measured steps backwards as I analyzed the attacks coming at me. Just the weight of their
sword against mine sent shocks through my body, slowly dwindling my life. What was frantic
at first soon became easy. I learned their style and gained momentum toward the tree line.

Now confident in my ability to keep myself safe, I taunted the brigand.
"I commend the effort, but you aren't going to kill me."

As my words fell into the air, a heard a huff escape them. They brought their sword high into
the air and let it crash toward me in a rage-filled attempt to leave me ragged. A step backward and
it met the earth instead of me. Provocation successful.

This continued until finally, I reached the edge of the forest. I waited for the right moment,
for the big man to be off balance from a swing, then turned and flew deeper inside. At this point,
despite my efforts, my body was screaming. I was sore and bleeding, half ready to collapse. I decided
to give away my position with the light of healing myself.

Now on his horse, the brigand flew toward the tree I had stepped behind and caught me with his blade.
So began the hunt. Off I went, deeper, using bush and tree to evade and become a ghost. I thought
I had made progress until an arrow suddenly pierced my shoulder and nearly sent me to my knees.
This man refused to give up.

I tore it free, faked left into a bush then jumped into another in the opposite direction. I healed
myself again, sealing the wound and feeling rejuvenated. I was nearing the edge of this section
of forest, and would have to break for the next across a section of the hillside I went for it.

I knew that if the brigand caught on I was dead. Their bow had the power to snap my spine if they
found the shot in the dark. Each step on the earth felt like a crashing of waves in the air.

Yet I made it.

As I passed the first tree, an arrow lodged in it's bark. I realized I had the capability to turn
from rabbit to wolf, head to head is not the only way to fight. His arrows reminded me of it. From
behind another tree, I channeled fire. As much as I hated it, his horse would have to die.

Eventually he rode passed me, blade in hand. I sent the fire forward and burned his horses
thigh, following it up with a sword slash along it's torso. Not enough. In a panic, the man and
horse spurred forward in a sprint before slipping behind some trees.

I saw a familiar light as I closed the distance. Of course he could use magic too....
his horse was no longer suffering when I gained line of sight.

Feeling the rage build in me, as using offensive magic always initiates, I unfurled my fingers
and flung a series of fireballs. Some hit the man, others his horse. Panicked yet again, they flew
away to find safety. I took a breath. This was it. With this distance, in these woods, light now
gone from the sky... I could get away.

The thought of leaving the warrior mount-less and cooked within his armored shell
shimmered in my mind, but a shake of my head silenced it.

I took off, weaving through the trees, down to the westward road, sliding across it and down
the ditch on the other side to the edge of a small lake. I crouched in a thicket of trees there, and sat
to rest.

I had escaped.

...

I find myself curious.

Should I ever cross paths with the man again, I wonder, will he feel a vindictive urge to end what

he started? Or will he remember the heat of my cornered fury and ride away?
 
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Nefnate

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A Tux is Always Good to Have Around (T, HDV(wip))

...left Fabernum to hunt for a horse I could tame...
...branches and wind left my skin dry and red...
...a pack of wolves eyed me from the brush...

...a horse in the distance...
...slaughtered, along with its tamer...
...my heart beat quickly as I scurried away from the scene...

...another steed, running abrasively toward the woods...
...i took my chance, sprinting to it's side with cooes of comfort...
...distant eyes on me like daggers...


...footsteps approached, violence inevitable...
...the horse was too afraid to let me mount and take us away...

...i drew my rusted short-sword, bare chest toward my foe...
...it was clear it was he who slew the one i saw before...

...he assumed i would be weak, unprepared...
...a haughty member of Content with a large great-blade...

...chest slashed, lungs on fire...
...that is where i thrive...

...his nerves failed him as i pushed my old blade through his armor...
...he turned to run while i advanced...

...

...i left for a horse, not blood...
...i let him flee, hoping another may catch him in his weary state...

...after healing my wounds, i sought the horse...
...so frightened, frantic...

...hours seem to pass as we wandered the wood together...

...

..."would you like some aid in calming the beast?"...
...a small alvarin had found us...

...

...i pet the neck of my steed, outside of the stables of Fabernum...
...with Tux the alvarin to thank...

...


I will never forget your name, Tux.
 
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Nefnate

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Good Fortune, Bad? (T)

Give em hell, that's what I do.
Arcing arrows over the walls, slipping balls of fire between structures.
I go alone, with naught but a blade, a bow, a pouch of reagents & some pants to cover my ass.
I do my part to make the Bandits in the valley regret their dishonorable ways.

Doing such as I often do, I was locked in combat with one of the last standing.
I heard the crunching of boots and the clatter of armor, not that of the foe before me.

I broke off of the bandit, spun and saw another behind me.
Not one of the freelancers from the camp. An established, well geared individual from the company KarniMata.
I attempted to say hello but their blade entered my back as I tried to distance myself.
No amount of cloth there to soften the strike.

I deflected many strikes despite the blood loss, but he and the camp bandit joined together.
I fell to the soil and my soul flew into the Ether with malice.

...

Not long later I had pulled myself together and was enroute to another camp.
I saw two individuals in the distance, outside the walls of my destination.
I assumed it would be the villain from before & an ally of his, so I turned to look elsewhere.

A couple dozen meters deep in the forest of the opposite direction, I heard the world tell me to turn around.
A whisper in my mind, such a thing I know not to ignore.
I sighed and turned back to the camp.

...

I arrived to find three warriors standing over the corpse of the bandit who had backstabbed me prior.
They greeted me and told me what they had done.
A company called ODINsSEED, claiming to be protectors of Fabernum.
The energy coming from their spokesperson brought a smile to my face.
They returned my pouch of reagents they found on the bandits corpse, and we took care of the rest of the camp together.

...


It seems the paradigm never ceases to shift.
I look forward to seeing what comes next for the little town I call home.
 
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Nefnate

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A Trio, Marked: I (T)


Let it be known.

It began simply - I was out on the roads, near Tindrem, locked in combat with a bandit.
I intended to kill him and take the bounty on his head.
Suddenly, one Drem of Organic stepped in, severed the head of the bandit with his axe, and then took it as if to flee with the bounty.
I exclaimed "You should not take others loot," as I charged him and his steed.
Already wounded, I fell to his axe.
As I slipped into the Ether, I remarked "Good fight, then, but I will have your head."


That was around a week ago.
Since then, I have encountered Drem twice, and each time I challenged him to a duel.
The first, he mounted his horse and fled like a coward. The second, tonight, he accepted my challenge.
I was wearing naught but my working pants, and had a training bone blade on me.
I could not let the opportunity pass, however. I would make it work. I had to.


He quickly injured me with his axe, and my frail sword barely dented his armor.
However, martial warfare is only one half of things. My prowess isn't martial, it's magical.
I jumped toward the Fabernum Pond, and took a breath while letting healing magic close my wounds.
Little did I expect, Drem crashed in, armor and all, with his bow - trying to fill me with arrows.
His mistake.
I began an onslaught of magic and sword, but it was short lived...
As two of his allies opened fire on me - Destroyer, a spear and shield fighter, and Choo, an archer and dagger user.
It took the three of them far too long to take me down, and I damaged Destroyer in the process - but alas, I fell.
The priest was eager to record the murder, as I was eager to record their spineless names.


Until I have each of their heads, pried from their necks by my own hand, their names will not leave my Journal.

It is known.
 
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Nefnate

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Jun 23, 2021
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...
...
...

I have returned to roaming the lands of Nave yet again, a wanderer learning of folk and lore.
There is a delicate balance that needs to be cultivated and protected.

I do plan to begin journaling again soon.

As a note... one Drem whose bounty remains, has been spotted in the guild named Brigands.

My fingers twitched when I noticed them, but it was not the right time.
 

Nefnate

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I have found myself having many adventures in Myrland.
Some bloody, some beautiful.

Some both.

--

Rather than find myself with ink and parchment (which, by all accounts, I have had many things to record), I find myself moving on.
I wonder if I am being reclusive, or, if I find myself fundamentally moving away from the desire to share my story.

The world of Nave is evolving, and with it, so are the people.
Taking a step back, I would say now is a time that storyteller's should push to have their tales told.
Life needs to be sprinkled into the minds of the people, into the corners of the landscape.

So why do I hesitate so? Where is my desire?

I ponder this as I continue to wander. I have begun yet again, collecting others I hope to be kindred of myself.
There is not a strong sense of cohesion to this motion, but perhaps it will form into something on its own.

Or perhaps we will slip back into stagnation.

Time will tell.