Courtyard
Slate grey stone forms an even surface, with no stray pebbles to bruise runners' hooves. Scattered around the courtyard's edges, the occasional tree or bush brightens the deadening effect of the rock's expanse. Twin planters, with convenient handles, frame the main Hall's doors, filled with saffron and argent flowers as the season and weather permits. Placed just above the entrance, a ledge offers a perch to firelizards in need of one, large enough to hold a fair without seeming too crowded. Sturdy rings of iron are placed here and there upon the walls of the building, allowing the secure tying of runners and other creatures who might require it.
It is a summer evening. The worst of the storm is over. The rain has stopped, and lightning flickers against the dark northwestern horizon. The wind still blows, chasing the storm, and the gray sky obscures the sunset and the stars.
Standing quietly is Red.
Gliding around are Caspian, Corn Flakes, Mukhtar, and Hari.
You see Ivanova, Lapsa, Herdercraft Dart booth, Lover, Red Fruit tree, Snowman, and Marina here.
Kezenex is here.
Obvious exits:
Pastures Main Hall Keroon Road
Aimee glances up, then recognizes the new knot. "Hello, oh, you must be the new one!" She offers her hand, smiling.
Kezenex smiles, taking the hand. "I'm Kezenex, er, Kez, a Pobbationary Apprentace." He shakes her hand.
Aimee returns the shake, smiling. "Well met, Kez." She cocks her head. "Y'want me to show you around?"
Kezenex shrugs. "Sure." now he'll know all the escape routes and where people hang out the most...ooo...this is good...hehehe...
Aimee nods, gesturing 'twards the main hall. "Follow me, then..."
You go to the Main Hall.
Main Hall
A cavern originally carved out of rock, the main hall has been carefully enlarged outwards, using slate, to make the extension Threadproof and sturdy. A few deep-set windows look out on the courtyard, allowing light in. The rest of the main hall is lit by suspended glowbaskets, a system of pulleys to provide easy changing. A few comfortable looking chairs are scattered around one side, a sharp contrast to the other side, which is clearly a reception area for guests, with a desk and several more formal chairs in a neat and tidy arrangement.
To the north, you see one person.
Gliding around are Beau, Zappy, Icala, and Eoghan.
You see Roha, Lennier, and Lestia here.
Obvious exits:
Classroom Clinic Courtyard Kennels Stables Stairs
Kezenex walks in from the Courtyard.
Aimee points 'round the room, at the chairs, the windows, and the other exits. "This is the main hall. Let's go to the classroom first, shall we?"
You go to the Classroom.
Classroom
Long black benches provide a working and writing surface for the HerderCraft students, and backless stools provide seating. A slateboard is set up in the front of the room, near where the door lets out to the main hall. Several deep-set windows provide some illumination, the majority being provided by high-set glowbaskets. Washbowls are set up on one side of the room, as well as shelves containing a variety of books and interesting specimens. On the other side, full-sized skeletons of the animals that the Hall deals with most; canine, feline and runner, are neatly set up.
To the west, you see one person.
Gliding around are Hershey, Clumsy, Ranchiren, and Omelette.
You see Raph here.
Obvious exits:
Main Hall
[canine]
Raph
A white patch over the left eye -- the only part of his face not a chocolate brown -- lends this canine a rather comical expression overall. He seems to be laughing at you through his sparkling brown eyes and wide, grinning mouth. The deep klah coat is short and fluffy, covering strong limbs and paws still just a bit too large for his body. A fluffy plume of a tail usually wags in a friendly fashion at whoever may pass by. His frame is compact and muscularly built for enduring anything from a short sprint to fetch a thrown stick to a long trek, testing his endurance.
He is 4 Turns, 1 month, and 21 days old.
Kezenex walks in from the Main Hall.
Aimee gestures to the various objects in the room, sitting down on a black bench. "This is the classroom," she says. "Not /all/ of the classes are taught here, but some are. Mostly it depends on the subject. I've taught in here," she carresses Raph's head, "but only because Raph here--he's mine--likes coming inside...any questions so far?"
Kezenex shakes his head. "Nope."
Aimee nods. "This way, then..."
You go to the Main Hall.
Main Hall
A cavern originally carved out of rock, the main hall has been carefully enlarged outwards, using slate, to make the extension Threadproof and sturdy. A few deep-set windows look out on the courtyard, allowing light in. The rest of the main hall is lit by suspended glowbaskets, a system of pulleys to provide easy changing. A few comfortable looking chairs are scattered around one side, a sharp contrast to the other side, which is clearly a reception area for guests, with a desk and several more formal chairs in a neat and tidy arrangement.
Gliding around are Beau, Zappy, Icala, and Eoghan.
You see Roha, Lennier, and Lestia here.
Obvious exits:
Classroom Clinic Courtyard Kennels Stables Stairs
Raph> Aimee whistles her way to the Main Hall.
Raph> Kezenex walks to the Main Hall.
Kezenex walks in from the Classroom.
Aimee points to the stairs that climb upward...
You go to the Lounge.
Lounge
An expansive area is permeated with the smell of klah, probably originating from the pot over in the corner that serves as a makeshift kitchen, complete with stove, plates and mugs, and food. Captivating the eye, however, is a large oaken table. Platters of meatrolls and cups of klah have been placed in the center. A few chairs sit at it, but most arc, with some couches, around a sizable and often crackling fireplace. Occupying most of a wall, a bookcase has been laden with the efforts of several now-journeymen, which have become often-consulted tomes. Doorways lead in all directions, and a staircase in one corner leads both up, to the staff area and down to the main corridor of the hall.
This place is neat and clean, the work of busy Apprentices.
Below, you see one person.
Gliding around are Togne, Roy-`el, Shine, Garibaldi, ShyGuy, Bayta, Warren, and Bommarito.
You see Sparkles, Zeezo, and Fass here.
Obvious exits:
Nursery Male Dorms Female Dorms Staff Hallway Main Hall
Kezenex walks in from the Main Hall.
Aimee grins, gesturing to the oak table, and the rest of the room. "This," she says, grinning, "is the lounge. The place to eat, hang out, relax, and just be generally lazy. Not," she winks, "that you should /always/ do that--some of the Journeyman 'n' Masters get stogy--but still, there's always after you finish mucking stalls..." She hesitates. "Do you know where you're sleeping?
Kezenex grins. He's got plans..."Sleep?" Oh yeah you have to do that too.."Um, through that door?"
Aimee raises one eyebrow. "Which door?"
Kezenex looks from door to door and randomly picks one. "That one!" He points to the Nursery.
Aimee snorts, a slight giggle escaping. "Not quite...uhm..." she looks about, thinking.
Aimee blushes a bit, then glances around. "Nooo...not quite, Kez. They're in here," she points to the door, then glances 'round again. "I 'spose I can take you in there, just for a bit...follow me," she says characteristicly.
You go to the Male Dorms.
Male Dorms
Rows of cots line the stone walls of this room, leaving a wide space in the center open for other activities. Trunks lined at the foot of the cots provide a place for apprentices to store their belongings, though clothing and possessions don't stay strictly where they're supposed to be. Dust and a smell of hay hang in the air, having drifted in from the adjacent hayloft. A few rugs, colors obscured by a good layer of mud and manure, have been placed by the entrance in an attempt to control the entering dirt.
To the northeast, you see one person.
Gliding around are Ender and Graff.
You see Jarian's cot, Salen's cot, Coram's Cot, and Arthin here.
You notice Thren, Jarian, Lucan, Dalkirk, Gallagher, Coram, Salen, and Telarion asleep here.
Obvious exits:
Hayloft Lounge
Kezenex walks in from the Lounge.
Aimee glances around carefully. No one in that cot...or that one...oh, shards, that boy's /changing/. She turns around, quickly looking at Kez. "Yes, you are," she says, blinking a bit. A jeer rings out from the end of the room, followed by, "It's a /girl/ in the 'dorms!" Blush-o-rama.
Kezenex blinks. "Err...maybey we should go....," he says as he notices some angry and embarrased faces...
Aimee turns a nice, tomatoey red. Cheeks of crimson and ears of red...she blushes, but continues with the introduction. "So, you might want a cot...do you?"
Kezenex nods. "I'd think so."
Aimee nods in turn, ignoring the whistle for attention from that blasted Teriston. She nods, snagging a drudge laden with clothes. "Get Probationary Apprentice Kezenex a nice cot, would you?" The drudge nods, and scurries off, leaving Aimee to fend for a bit. "Soo..." she begins but is interrupted by Teriston. "Would you excuse me?" She trots over to the jeering boy's cot. "Shut. Your. Mouth. Teriston." A quick walk back--how much quieter it seems. "Anyway, where're you from?"
Kezenex watches with wide eyes. "Um, Ista...you?"
Aimee grins, red dissapating. "Keroon, actually. But before the hall at Ista burned down," a small frown crosses her face, "I was there. M'younger sister is the Assistant cook at Keroon hold," she adds proudly, but once again, there's that flicker of something.
Kezenex nods. "This is my first time in Keroon...not that I haven't done much traveling..." He stops there.
Aimee glances curiously at Kez, then 'round the room, looking for that drudge. Brown gaze returns to the Herder boy. "You've traveled?"
Kezenex shrugs. "just back and forth between my hold and the neiboring one....but I sure did it a lot..." and for reasons!
Aimee nods, then shuffles over to the door, peering outside the curtains before returning. "Dratted drudge..." she mutters, then turns back. "What hold did you come from?"
Kezenex shrugs as if it doesn't matter. "Just a semi-big one in Ista."
The drudge comes slouching in, dragging a medium sized cot. Aimee hurries over to her, saying, "You took too long. Don't do that next time," before taking the cot and finishing the drag over to the end of the hall. "Okay, is here all right?"
Kezenex nods. "Sure." It really doesn't matter to him.
Aimee sets the cot down, grinning at him after a carefully timed stuck-out tongue at Teriston. "Well, now that that's taken care of...let's continue, 'kay?"
Kezenex nods and takes a quick look at this 'Teriston' and follows her.
You go to the Hayloft.
Hayloft
Wooden planks are almost impossible to spot under the layer of hay that covers the entire floor of this loft. The dust motes that always accompany such a storage area hang in the air, irritating the eyes and nose for the first few minutes. Stacked on one side, several bales of thick hay are piled almost to the ceiling, at hand for anyone who needs them for feed. Directly opposite sit the piles of straw bales for bedding, lighter in both color and weight. Several covered tubs keep the actual feed safe from vermin, scoops hanging to either side of a precise, organized feed chart. A trap door in the corner, possibly the only place not obscured by hay, lifts to reveal a hole, ladder dropping down to the stables below.
To the west, you see one person.
Gliding around is Spike.
Obvious exits:
Female Dorms Male Dorms Main Stables
Kezenex walks in from the Male Dorms.
Aimee sneezes quietly in the dust, then blinks around. "Okay, this is the hayloft. From here you can get to the stables, the male dorms, and the female dorms. But," she adds, "you don't go into the female dorms without permission. Let's go to the stables, okay?"
Kezenex nods again, just absorbing information....and follows...
You go to the Stables.
Stables
An array of sounds and smells reaches you as you enter the stables. The strong smell of hay, runners and dung is apparent wherever you go. The dusty wooden floor has a few nicks from the many hooves that have trampled down the aisle, though it appears to be in very good shape. Stalls line the aisle for a long ways and you see a light at the end of the hallway that probably leads to the Main Hall. Runners snort, paw and whinney within their stalls as you pass. You may even see a runner or two peer out from their stall to see what is going on. Each stall has a name plate designating the resident that lives inside. Where there are no stalls, you will usually see a variety of lead ropes, halters, saddles, brooms, buckets and maybe a wheelbarrow filled with feed.
There are 24 stalls here.
The stables are basically very clean.
On the perch is Desayuno.
You see Hay Wagon, Help Notice, Jacques, Bramble, Harper's Painting, Buddha, Starlight, Midnight, Kendi, and Kaysha here.
You notice Asriene asleep here.
Obvious exits:
Main Hall Runner Classroom Wing 1 Covered Walkway Hayloft Stall#
Kezenex walks in from the Hayloft.
Aimee points to all of the stalls, encapturing them all with an expansive sweep of her arm. "These are the stables. You can get back to the main hall from here, by the way, and then there's the runner classroom, the wing, the walkway--as well as those stalls that we all just /love/ mucking out." She winks mischeviously. Brown eyes shift 'round to the covered walkway. "How 'bout we go over there," she says, pointing with her chin.
Kezenex peers about the large room, eyes taking in everything. He grimaces. Him? Mucking? Oh no... He looks back and nods. "Ok..."
Aimee grins rather evilly at Kez, nodding to his expression. "And Probationary Apprentices," she whispers, leaning closer, "get to do /lots/ of mucking..." A wink is cast o'er one slim shoulder as she moves on.
You go to the Covered Walkway.
Covered Walkway
Arched doors lead into a covered building, the entry to the runner facilities. The cobbled floor is swept clean, and brooms, pitchforks, and other tools hang from pegs on the wall. Aisles branch off from this main one, each clearly, if unnecessarily, labeled. Neighs, snorts, and a pungent odor clearly indicate those that branch to the stables, and three others shed light into the walkway-one from the riding ring, another leading to the training track, and the third giving a clear view of the pastures.
To the northwest, you see one person.
Obvious exits:
Training Track Pastures Main Stables Wing 1 Racing Wing Foal Room Riding Ring
Kezenex walks in from the Stables.
Aimee stretches, beginning to yawn, but continues nonetheless. "Okay, this basically has alot to do with runners. You can get to nearly anywhere from here...let's go the the pastures, okay?"
Kezenex nods and follows....again...
Aimee turns 'round quickly, wondering, "Do you have any questions?"
Kezenex shrugs. "Not really. Everythings been pretty strait forward."
Aimee grins, and turns to the pastures.
You go to the Lower Pastures.
Lower Pastures
A vast expanse of greenery, stretching out away to the boundaries of this valley. The grass is tall and thick, trodden down in a few winding paths. Dotting the farthest reaches out the pasture are tall trees, perfect for providing shade for a passing bird. A thin brook meanders its way around the valley, providing a clean, cool source of water for the beasts that choose to graze here.
It is a summer late night. The misty smell of rain fills the air after the storm's passage. A fitful breeze blows, dying down as the evening wanes on.
To the southwest, you see one person.
Standing quietly are Taran, Chess, and Valia.
You see Magna, Urian, Auction Tent, Dunking tank, fire, and Barron here.
Obvious exits:
Lake Burdenbeast Pastures Courtyard Covered Walkway Avian Area
Aimee gestures, hand indicating the fields and such. "This," yawn, "is a part of the pastures..." She frowns. "Not much else to tell you, I guess..."
Kezenex shrugs. "Pastures...got it." He grins.
Aimee shrugs, yawning. "Well then, that's 'bout it for th'hall..."
Kezenex nods. "Thanks for the tour...Aimee?"
Aimee nods in turn, "No problem, Kez. Seeya 'round the hall, and I know you'll have fun here..."
Kezenex nods. He sure will..."Yup. I'm sure I'll see you. Night."
