DF Novices, Merrill, downtime interlude

        Here is a summary of Merrill's downtime, in the year that happened between sessions 78 and 79. As always, I am giving out an Impulse Point to any player who writes a summary for the blog.

Party roster:

Merrill Tangled Tail, cat-folk monk (martial artist), 139 points (PC)

Campaign Dates:    From 17 December, Year 645 to 30 December, Year 646.

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Diary of Merrill Tangled Tail:

Ah, Bridgegate! It been long road, from here to here, and it sight for eyes that sore. Merrill's feet have walked long path, but it path that curve and return to place where he started. That okay. As it said in Temple of Two Moons Dancing, when there path that still travelled, it because there place that important at both ends. And now, after nearly year, it seem to Merrill that Bridgegate is where he live now. For now. It place path always return to. It place where friends are.

Slightly over one year ago, Merrill leave with Dagne and Eleanor. On road to Abdurna, Merrill ask Dagne about Metallis, and she ask of Merrill why he ask? So Merrill say he had vision, and Dagne look at Merrill with eyes that seem new. So on road, Merrill learn about Metallis. And gods. And many many thing that Merrill sometimes hear priestesses in Temple talk about that important to gods. There many things Merrill now know that he not know before about gods, and that good thing! More questions for Little Moon, yes yes. In Abdurna, Merrill stay for while but soon want to move on and find Temple again. It been too many moons since Merrill leave on path of novice, and it time to return and tell Masters that Merrill now walk path of Master. Many things he has learned, yes yes, and many things he has seen that impossible to see or learn in Temple. And if he strayed from path that true, that only because Merrill's path is new and he walking where no student or Master walk before. It may be new path, but it path under Two Moons. This is thing Merrill will say.

But Merrill know not where is Temple. It big place, yes, and when asking people in Abdurna which also big place, nobody know of Temple of Two Moons Dancing. But there bigger place further east, everyone say, and some people remember there Temple there. So Merrill say goodbye to Dagne and Eleanor, and promise to return when he can to Bridgegate. Everyone say it faster to travel on river, so that what Merrill do.

It by river port that Merrill meet large group of kin! At last, more cousins! But they strange cousins who like water, and like others in area, they never hear of Temple of Two Moons Dancing. But they say, come with us on our boat, we going to big place that east. It called Graivencliff. They very friendly, like cousins are, and good hosts while traveling on river. But they play strange game with Merrill every time he go stand by side of boat, and pretend they going to shove Merrill into river. It all game, it all fun, until one day Merrill step aside and cousin go tumbling in river. Suddenly it not such fun to cousins. But Merrill reach out to help cousin out of water, and cousins all agree after that it all in good fun.

They stop trying to push Merrill into river after that. Merrill look simple, but he not step out of gate yesterday...

It true what they said about Graivencliff, it big big! Too big. It bigger than Temple, and Merrill certain if city big as Graivencliff anywhere near Temple, Merrill would have seen it. And despite name, there not enough mountains near to be anywhere near Temple. That disappointment... But, cousins say, there bigger port in city, and it have travellers from all over world. If anyone know where is Temple, they probably in port.

That good advice, and Merrill say goodbye to cousins of river and go find port. It take some time... Merrill get lost. It big place! But Merrill know he find port when he see boats that biggest boats he ever see. Everywhere there people, and many they speak in languages that Merrill not know. But still, Merrill ask many many people if they know where Temple of Two Moons Dancing. They say no.

For days and days, Merrill ask people from ships if they hear of Temple of Two Moons Dancing. Some they say, no. Some they say, they hear of Temple but it not called Temple of Two Moons Dancing. Some they say, they not hear of Temple, but they know of place where kin live many many many days to East, it called Kingdom of Olan. They say it take long time to get there by ship, and longer time to get there walking. They say if anyone know where is Temple of kin, then it known in Olan. Merrill ask how long it take to go to Olan in ship, and they say it takes moons. That... that too long. It too far.

It that moment Merrill realise, he much much further from Temple than he ever think. Too far. And it sound, it not possible to go back. Ever. Merrill... Merrill alone.

For while Merrill wander by self, lost, confused, sad. Path disappeared from under feet, and now he wandering in place he not know. Perhaps this how feel Master Lomarr when setting foot on world? It that thought that remind Merrill, there still two moons in sky. There still path. It simply... difficult. So for moment Merrill meditate, and as he do so, someone ask is perhaps Merrill looking for temple?

This temple, it not Temple of Two Moons Dancing, but it smaller temple in Graivencliff that people speak of when Merrill in Abdurna. This temple, it temple of Ten Tigers, and Masters there recognise that Merrill once train with Master Sillis. They welcome Merrill and tell him he free to stay and study in dojo.

It not Temple where Merrill grow up, but... it good to be in place that familiar. They treat Merrill like student who visitor, and like visitor who want study. It very different from being novice! Of course Merrill help where he can, that in his nature, and soon he part of temple community. Masters learn that Merrill walks Path they never hear of, but when Merrill try to explain, he not find words. So they teach Merrill words to explain things that are not things that easily described. They teach Merrill many many thing, and he dilligent student! And when Merrill train, he sometime help other students, and that bit of disaster. Merrill always taught that learning it matter of doing things exactly way Master want, or otherwise get blow to head. He told that, in Temple of Ten Tigers, it not necessary to hit students that much, and could he please stop doing this? There many things Merrill not know about teaching, and it thing he need to learn.

Because Merrill advanced student, he sometimes get opportunity to study with Masters who visit. One Master, he kin! But... it strange. Master who kin, he like Scratch. Angry, violent, brutal... he use claws on training dummies in dojo and destroy equipment of Temple. He ask Merrill, perhaps Merrill want learn from him? But Merrill say no... that not Merrill's path. After few days Temple ask Master to leave. It getting too expensive to replace dummies, and students complaining Master too dangerous when sparring. It strange. That Master clearly kin, but Merrill glad to see him go. And he wonder what wrong with area that turn cousins into monsters?

At same time there other Master visiting in Temple, and he watch Merrill from time to time. After Merrill refuse to study with Master who kin, Master who human ask why. Merrill say, he not monster, and he not want to be monster. Merrill say, it necessary to fight when needed, but it not needed to fight like wild beast. Master nod and smile, and say there is wisdom in words.

And that how Merrill become student of Master Zheng.

For many moons, Merrill study with Master Zheng, who very patient. He see that Merrill favour staff, and ask why. Merrill explain it Way of Bright Scholar... walk softly and carry big stick. Master Zhen say that very good, but it only good if wanting to crush with argument. How make sure that opponent gets point? So he teach Merrill how to fight with new weapon, and way to fight that Way of Ten Tigers but also Way of Two Moons Dancing. Master Zheng pleased with this, and say perhaps this new way, it Way of Tangled Tail? Merrill say that perhaps so, or perhaps it Way of Phoenix... Merrill not sure yet. While studying with Master Zheng, he tell Merrill there is strength in Merrill that not strength of muscle or weapon. It strength of inner energy, it strength of mind. Merrill say that, in Temple of Two Moons Dancing, Masters always say that mind not Merrill's greatest strength.

Master Zheng say, they wrong about that.

Merrill stay in Temple with Master Zheng until summer it nearly gone, until Merrill another year older. As is strange custom of area, Merrill receive gift on day of birth from Master Zheng. It new weapon, and it made for Merrill. It still staff, yes yes, but now it has point to it. It soon after that Merrill feel, it time to leave. Merrill's path is calling, and it calling him back to Bridgegate. Master Zheng understand, and wish Merrill well on Path. There so many things Merrill learn from Master Zheng... Merrill came to Temple as lost student, and is leaving Temple as different person.

Merrill now know what path is, and where path leads. It difficult path, yes yes, but it lit by Two Moons Dancing and Merrill walking it in company of Ten Tigers. And on both ends of Path, there Bridgegate.

It been long road.