He's still young though, and hasn't quite realized that yet... and thanks to his poor analytical abilities, it might take him some time. He might need to get punched a bit more.
I'm sold on character development. Bootcamp will do him great, and will be a good opportunity to talk about the youngs of his age group. I'll make extra sure he gets all the training he needs in his field of interest.
*-*-*-*-*
Summer 140.
At a time when mankind was still fresh out of the primordial forest, in the southern continent we call the Land of Confining, began the story of Ama and Apap. As humanity was still in its infancy and struggled to organize itself into the kingdoms we know today, their marriage is among the first to have been ever recorded. Both were young people in the prime of their condition, amazing athletes and archers of legend. They named themselves lord and lady of Cherishlearned, a fisher village that was to become a major port city of their country.
In Cherishlearned, during their rules, a large number of sport events took place, to honor the gods with displays of martial arts. Asa and Apap often participated, and most importantly, often won.
Securing the peace of the region, the affection of the citizen, the fear of the nearby goblin tribes and the admiration of the warriors of the Land of Confining was one thing - but as time gone by, their bodies began to age. Their accuracy with a crossbow began to decline, and soon enough, the loving couple started to fear their own demise.
At this point, fourteen children have been born of their union, and they were already immortalized in the history of their kingdom. But it was not enough. What is the point, they thought, of acquiring immortality on paper, if their bodies were to die anyway?
Both of them started to look for ways to extend their lifespan. The lady, Ama, was the quickest. Desacrating the temple of Cherishyawn, she was then cursed by her god to skulk the night in search for flesh and blood - in exchange for a life that would not end. Her husband, Apap, a few years later, met a hooded man in the castle, who promized him to teach him the secret of immortality. Apap followed the man into the night, and was never to be heard from again.
The ruling couple had disapeared, in three years time, seemingly without a trace. Their children, now grown men and women, married, worked and had lives of their own. Their third daughther ruled after her mother. Like her parents, she had a large lineage... and among her children was Lord Cado Gulfwatched, the beast that attacked us last year.
There is a lot going on, in the Land of Confining.
Ama Shotpolishes, for that was her full name, attacked various settlements in her home kingdom. Thirty rampages were registered in fifty eight years - the last of which had to be in Watershield.
She came by the north east, and was first spotted by Ersi, the lumberjack. The man was a good athlete, trained by myself until he retired to pursue his dream of creating a mastercraft - he outran the monster easily and raised the alarm.
We moved immediately to meet the creature - and engaged near the walls.
We dealt with it rather easily. But I'm beggining to notice a pattern in those attacks. All of them seem to originate from the Land of Confining. Not only all of the werebeasts come from a peculiar family, but vampires too... Stran is married to a vampire of the same bloodline as the creatures we kill almost every passing season. More investigation need to take place.
Coming back from the short, but stressful engagement, I was met by yet again another argument by Jalew's daughter.
We have a mission and no time to argue with every unruly soldier and their dog, so I let her go. Out of respect for her father, she'll avoid public execution, from now on, her mother will have to teach her how to weave - probably a good life lesson for her.
*****
After that werebeast incident, we had some weeks of calm. We haven't heard of Osme's army for a while, and we're starting to get a bit weary. We remained on guard until the kingdom's scouts told us some very suspect movements were spotted around the inner sea which separates us from them. At first, it appeared like they wanted to surround us by the south, but then - they launched an assault on the kingdom of Egapesor - our historical ally. Skirmishes took place around the hamlet of Shakenflames, but a fierce resistance of the villagers drove the goblins off. For now.
Defeated but not eliminated, five hundred goblins are now wandering in the south. We're expecting the worse.
The following changes took place :
Donu was sent to the temple so she would become a priestess.
Her brother, Duslud, has been sent to the scriptorium to study.
Dengusa starts his apprenticeship in metalcrafting.
Digo will join bootcamp, where he'll learn under Thrathnu, alongside Sirris and her sister Turot.
Satheth will now join my squad to fill up a empty office we still carry since the battle on the bridge.
For now I think this is all.