Timeline

122 Venna 22th Jerrid's arrival at Othala (tavern)
128 Gwion 02th Jerrid's arrival at Monsegor (a curious letter)
152 Rayda 02th Jerrid visits McBlein (a small visit)
153 Rayda 03th Jerrid pledges allegiance to the House of McGreggor (the chest)

Gwion at Monsegor

Monsegor, Gwion 08th

A period of late rainstorms hath put the tournament preparations in retard - yet the past weeks were full of precious realizations. Jerrid hath rendered me more and more of the ould beliefs around Kilia 4 and gradually it all makes sense to me. I have been suspicious in the beginning i must admit. Who could have granted me that the true teachings were not yet another of the jedi's sidious attempts to subjugate my kin ? But by now i can see the differences.

These teachings were not forged by some invaders - they art the genuine belief of an upright people and more than i do actually understand them i can <i>feel</i> that this is the faith i had had in me right from the start though i would not have known where this conviction derived from. I still find it hard to explain my aversion against this state of mind the young one is calling the dragon fire but what i can say is that using the force actually feels like a cheap trick, it always did, but for a long time i tried to push these doubts aside for i did not understand them and nobody else seemed to have the same scruple...

Yet now that i hear these words, the very essence of the true teachings i can perfectly agree with the picture they draw.. the force.. or the dragon fire how they refer to it is nothing more than a crutch. A hooked stick to those who art not able to walk by their own feet and to live by the strength of their own heart and spirit..
Whenever i make use of this.. when i give way to this soliciting always wooing power it makes me feel weak.. as if i had not achieved the results by my own deeds and in fact i have not - for i have allowed another might to take over the reign.

I have thought a lot about these new realizations. In fact i feel i am now closer to what seems to be my path in life.. still with new answers new questions do occur also and one question seems now more urging then ever before - if i had a close chance to save those i love and no other way seemed to be left - would i throw this powerful tool away ? Nay - i hardly think so for what use is my pure spirit if my kin is subjugated. Alas - here i walk in circles - the borders art fluent.. who can tell what situation would justify the use of the fire ? Once thou start making such exceptions thou would soon notice thou got used to it .. infatuated with it.. and step by step the power is taking over what once was thy true spirit. I know this feeling.. i have felt it before -- whispering promises of invincibility and limitless might -- enticing and seductive like a sidious drug .. make use of me.. one time.. a few times.. every day.. get addicted to me and i will make thee the most powerful being throughout this universe. How many men have succumbed to this disease ?

Monsegor, Gwion 12th

Jerrid hath proven a quick learner. Although he had had to catch up almost two years in his fencing training he hath shown great improvement in the course of the last week. His style is now more fluent and unforeseeable -- he is able to fight with less strength by now and his techniques do show more precision than before.

The Earl hath allowed him to some part of the archives and oftenly when i am done with all these little tasks that call for my attention course of the preparations i can find him up there in the donjon studying the old texts of Othala's history.
I am happy he seems to have settled a bit around Monsegor. His arrival hath changed a great many things and Gavin must have a similiar feeling about him.. otherwise he had not welcomed the lad so easily.

Monsegor, Gwion 24th

Summer hath finally driven away the rainstorms and bestows us with long and warm days. A wonderful time around Queribus. All the important arrangements have already been made, the tournament area is chosen and the last invitations have been answered. It seems people have been waiting for an amusement like this. It hath been a good while since there hath been anything like it around these lands... even the Ovkhan have accepted and will take the pain of a long journey to participate in the contest. I am excited to meet the great warriors of the east i daresay and i hope everything will work out well so we can reestablish the good relationships our clans had once had.. during the dark times.

I will have to study their culture in order to be familiar with their ways and look upon life. I could never forgive if my ignorance would spoil a possible alliance..

***

Wallace leant back and put away the pencil. He had allowed hisself the luxory to write on real paper according to their tradition.

Traditions.. to an outworlder some of their habits might have seemed strange. How great the differences between their clans might ever be.. they still clung to some ancient agreements concerning the restricted use of technology around Othala - one of them concerning the disallowance of vehicles like landgliders and similiar. All in good time. Haste and carelessness were no features of a valuable Othalan. There was no need to hurry around a world like this. Everything was following a certain order and the old belief a man's spirit could not travel much faster than a running aihws - or wolfbeast - was still troubling most spacetravelling Othalans.

The wonderful, bright blue sky caught Wallace' attention as he rose. To spent a day like this in a gloomy chamber really was a sin and there still was some time before they entered the 'hot phase' of the preparations. Quickly he called on Jerrid and only some minutes later they were on their aihws... out for a long ride through the summerly forests and some exercises in mounted combat.

"It's not long now Jerrid" ,Wallace boisterously cried he at the youngster during their race homewards at the end of that day, "until ye will meet with all the great warriors and knights of this world." The young Kilian beamed with joy. This indeed were grand prospects and an event to look forward to. Reaching the steep and narrow pathway back up to Monsegor they finally slowed down their aihws and the Zarkan could not hold back his curiosity any longer. After numerous hours of hard training he was now burning to test his fencing abilities. "Will i be allowed to participate, Lord Wallace ?" ,the younger man addressed Wallace excitedly.

McGreggor but returned a broad smile. "Nay, not as a combattant young one. Not this time. Thy first task will be to get familiar with all the people around, to observe.. and to have a good time as a spectator of the games."

Although he was looking forward to watching the tournament Jerrid could not hide a little disappointment he would not be allowed to the contest itself.. and Wallace could understand him very well - he also had loved travelling round joining each and every tournament he could get by - but he knew all too well that as a combattant Jerrid would not be able to relax and focus his attention to all the details Wallace wanted him to take notice of. "Don't worry Jerrid, there will still be enough possibilities to prove thy worth as a fighter." It could have sounded cheerful yet Jerid was aware that it probably was all too true.

These two months had passed quickly. Nearly everyday there was something to attend to. If it wasn’t sparring with Wallace, it was spending good time at the library. He had grown accustomed to the donjon as if it was his chambers. Although he had permission to take the records to his chambers, he chose to do all his studying at the tower.

Jerrid Syn