Storyboards: Kemeron

His Father's Son - Kemeron's History | His Father's Son - Training | The Augur's New Home | Augury | Meeting Luxiena | Kemeron and Luxiena | Becoming the Warden | Stepping down | Back to Fraternity | Kemeron meets Caienus
Larger Story: To the Shrine | The Will | Becomes an Augur

His Father's Son - Kemeron's History
Age Four: Philosophy [Described to Kemeron]
So you see, son, in order to carve the best woodworkings which you can, you must pour your energy into it. Your skill is not enough. Take replicas, for instance. A replica is worth far less than an original, because the only thing it takes to create a replica is the correct tools and a steady hand. The original is worth far more, because it is original, and it is blessed by creativity.

Age Seven: Apprenticeship [Overheard by Kemeron]
The Dragon? Yes, my son carved it. He begged me for a full day to put it on the shelf. As you can see, it's not of the greatest skill, but I'll be Belar's Uncle if it isn't clearly the product of a child's creativity. I... [sharp gasp] yes, I will make sure that the money is given to him when he's old enough. Of course, thank you.

Age Fifteen: Initiation [Overheard by Kemeron]
Ah, the Chimera. Yes, it's been his favorite. He puts the lion's head on creations wherever he can with our wood workings, yet it seems like its own individual creature every time, though. They seem so lifelike, they impress all the customers so that his work usually sells quicker than my own, and at a higher price, too! In fact, he has started his own line of figurines here in the shop. So you'd like to buy the chair, eh? No? Just perusi... you'd like to talk to him? Well, he's working on his next project right now, but- yes, yes. Oh, yes, of course then sir, right this way, I didn't realize... Kemeron! Someone's here would like to talk to you! And I think that you should listen.

These were the early origins of the Augur Kemeron Terga

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His Father's Son - Training
Age Nineteen: A Visit Home [Conversation with Kemeron]
Hello, Friend. Are you interested in those figurines? My own... Kemeron! I didn't even recognize you, son! [Embrace] Oh, it's been so long! How come you didn't send word before you? Your Aunt and Uncle, I'm sure, would have loved to have seen you! You look so fit! You've been doing a lot of hard work there, haven't you? Ah, good to see you still have calluses on your hands, too. I wouldn't want you to lose those. One misstroke on a carving, and your hands would be bleeding like those soft hands a scribe has! What, you're a scribe now, too? Amazing! My own son knows his letters. Come sit down, let's have some tea and you can tell me all about your time away.

Age Twenty-Six: Skill and the Will [A Letter to Kemeron]
Son, I am absolutely amazed with how your skill in woodworking has developed since you have been at your apprenticeship. That man who took you away, and you must tell me his name sometime, must be sent a Thank You letter as well as a gift. And I can do that now, as you've inspired an old man like me to learn his letters himself. Anyway, I am very impressed with your talent for woodworking and its development in the past few years. These two gifts which you sent me, the Cat and Chimera are incredible. I still have yet to figure out just how you made the Cat to purr. And the Chimera, still your favourite just as when you were young, baffles me. Does a watch mechanism in it cause its tail tick as it does, perpetually back and forth? The seam between the body and tail is so thin that my eye that I can't detect it, and they appear to be made of the same piece of wood.

Age Thirty-Five: Completion [Overheard by Kemeron]
He's fast asleep, now. He's journeyed long and hard in the past few years, he's told me. From Riva out to Boktor, down to Tolnedra. He didn't tell me so himself, but I think he has even been to the dread slave ports of Nyissa, from the looks of his Snakeskin purse. Twenty years of hard apprenticeship, and finally he can now travel the world, free of his bonds. I still can't help but wonder what happened over at that shrine, though. He's not the man I last saw at nineteen, that's for sure. He's older, that's true, brother, but he's wiser than he is older. The strange thing, though, is it only shows in his eyes, and not in his body. I wonder what exactly went on at that
shrine.

These were the later origins of the Augur Kemeron Terga

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The Augur's New Home
Dearest Kemeron,

I hope that this letter finds you well- in fact, I hope it finds you at all! Our Will-sped pigeons have been a bit errant lately. They are still finding those from our shrine well enough, but not necessarily the correct person! Nevertheless, I am sure that with your skills, you knew before perhaps even I did that I would be sending you a letter, and took steps to intercept it wherever it might be delivered. We are all so proud of you, Kemeron. Your fellow students and I all hope that you shall find what you are looking for. Remember, you will always have a home with the shrine. Your auguries have aided not only the Shrine, and Riva, and the whole of the West, but your predictions augment the Codices well.
We miss you, both your work and your companionship, Kemeron. Please return to us soon. You have been away far too long. Remember that we are the group which you prophesised yourself that you would come to and cherish, just as I came to and now cherish you. Please, be safe.

Dearest Friend,

Your letter did find me well, and I am sure that this letter will find you - I've decided to depend less on the pigeons who likely rue me, the augur, and to send this letter with a reliable courier instead.
I'm afraid I shall not be seeing you again soon. As you surely know the Gods do not prefer to give us our information straightforward, but to confuse us even in enlightenment. So the portents are symbolic when we wish them literal, and literal when we wish them symbolic. The fellowship which I found existed not in our wonderful nest, but rather in another recently discovered group, with whom I shall be staying for quite some time. It is a different kind of brotherhood, but it is definitely the correct one in which I should begin my more trying tasks.
Do not mistake me - my heart still lies in Riva, with you and my brothers, but my task lies here in the mainland, with the Wanderers.

So the Augur Kemeron Terga began his greater tasks.

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Augury
Clear a respectful area for sacrifice, be it table, ground, or street. It need be clean, and free of probable interference. Never spill the blood of one living being on another. Then, place your four stones on the corners of the area of divinance. Holding the sacrificial animal above your temporary altar, use your knife to slice first the neck, draining the blood outside of the realm of augury. Then, starting between the legs, just above the groin, make one clean, shallow slice up to the neck. At this point, your training shall make clear the portents.
Kemeron glanced up from his cheat sheet to his left and up to the poor city pigeon in front of him, needed to show him the path dictated by the Gods in his increasingly difficult search for... whatever he was looking for. He sighed as he mulled over the final line of the instructions - "make clear the portents." It never actually happened like that, as everyone knew. He hated it, but he knew his talent and that it must not go unused. The few vagaries which did not exist made it clear what would happen should he not use his talent. Regretfully, he cleared an ant off of the sacrificial area, and checked the four wooden "pebbles" at the corners. He preferred to use all tools which he had carved - pebbles and knife. Of course, the pebbles felt like stones and the knife like steel - Kemeron's other great talent. He raised up the bird and said a prayer for its life.
"I do this for the whole greater good, which both you and I are a part of. I mean no disrespect, and intend all honor to you and your family. Please forgive me, in life and in death."
With that, he cut its neck and drained its blood into a small metal bowl. A quick slice up the its center emptied its guts onto the "altar." He morosely examined the guts for the signs, which dictated where he should go next, and what he should do. Then the blood in the bowl disappeared with a Will-backed muttering, and the bird did as well, transported to a deep grave beneath the earth. He picked up his stones and bowl and packed them, erasing the signs of his augury. Then he picked up the sheet of instructions which he required as an emotional aid to the destruction of life, something he has intense distaste for.
Kemeron leaned back against the tree and carved out a clear, crisp image of a dove, with graceful wings, onto a spare piece of wood on the ground. His masterful, powerful hands had complete control over the object as he shaped it into an animal. Mulling over the augury, attempting to decipher its meaning, the dove gained substance and life as his knife deftly flicked away shards and created detail. When he was done, the bird of peace looked almost alive.
Augur Kemeron Terga

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Larger Story
To the Shrine - Part 1
The stranger had arrived the previous day, and this afternoon Kemeron was already on his way to a far-off shrine, all the way on the other side of the island of Riva! He already missed his home, but he knew why he was leaving. Most of the other boys his age weren't impressed with Scribes. They often considered them to be sissies who weren't good enough for real work. Kemeron had already seen through this dichotomy a bit though. They didn't like the scribes because they could write, but respected the Warder because he could. Kemeron had made up his mind. The Kings, the Philosophers, everyone whose name was remembered and revered could write. Since his father couldn't teach him, he resolved that he'd take this opportunity to learn them for free. He understood that it might be hard, but it'd certainly be worth it. And hey - they told him they'd supply him with all the woodcarving tools he'd need for his spare-time and that they had many precious woods which he could use too. What better deal, eh? In that wise-ass manner that only fifteen year olds dare try to pull off, he confronted the man driving the wagon. "You know, if I'm supposed to learn my letters, then I should know a few things to write. Let's start with your name. What's your name, huh?
"Wake up, Kemeron. We are almost to the Shrine."
Kemeron rubbed his eyes in annoyance at Rophiner's voice, at being woken up. A growing boy, he needed his sleep in a way that few other human beings did, and resented any loss of it. Before him was a building which he would not call a shrine. Rather, it was a complex of about ten buildings, each quite large and having their own unique design, and likely their own usage. Around the perimeter were several stakes and they entered through a large arch that was placed in line with these stakes. As they passed under it, Kemeron felt a little tingling in his spine that he chalked up to excitement. What a wondrous place, and he'd get to spend a couple years here.
This was home.

So Kemeron Terga was brought to the shrine where he would learn to be an Augur.

The Will - Part 2
Kemeron jumped down the last 5 stairs as he raced down to breakfast a little bit late and hoping that he would still be able to get food. He ran quickly through the cold from the dormitory to the mess hall and came in to some few teasing comments from his peers.
"Kemeron's early!!" they jested. He didn't blush because he was used to the joking about his sense of time, notably the very worst in the shrine. He never got in trouble for it, mostly because the masters of the shrine felt it was punishment enough that he might go hungry. Kemeron passed up return comments, and made his way to the food table with some still-warm muffins on it, one or two still left. Heading to his usual table he had one almost in his mouth with two more in his hand when he heard the Headmaster's voice boom out behind him. "Kemeron! You're late for the last time! Come!" This was, of course, followed by a chorus of "Oooo" from his friends as he slowly made his way over to meet the Headmaster, Rophiner, and follow him out of the room.
As soon as they were out of the room Rophiner explained, ”So how'd you like my show?" In his normal, friendly way he chattered on, ”Pretty good, huh? You're a convenient one, you are Kemeron. I knew that one day I'd have to come up with an excuse to call you in to speak, and you'd provide me a great excuse. Stop staring at me boy, finish your muffin. Now," he continued as they arrived at his office and opened the door, "a meeting."
Kemeron heard the oaken door shut behind him as he stared at a small lion sitting on the Master's table. It was one he'd carved himself. "Why did you steal that from my room?" he blurted out.
"Son, I assure you that I meant no harm. It's just that it is an amazing piece, and it seems as though we're ready for you to begin work on something else now, other than your writing. You're wonderful in that respect, but what I must tell you is this," - Rophiner's mood now changed quickly once more, and it became serious - "this school isn't for scribes. It's a step, surely, but it's not really what we have you kids here for. Not one person has left this shrine a scribe before. Rather, we have you here to monitor you. About your age, sixteen years old, sometimes older, rarely younger, they exhibit what I saw in you already when I visited Riva. A Will. This Lion is almost alive. The breeze makes its mane wave. Surely you know as well as I that that isn't attributable to your skill. No, you have the ability to exert your Will upon things. And we're going to teach you how to do that with more finesse. Now, you're going to go meet with Brother Gerinar right away, I'll bring you. You'll learn more there."

So Kemeron Terga, not yet the Augur, began to learn to use the Will and the Word.

Becomes the Augur - Part 3
Finally, five years later, Kemeron was twenty-one years old and he had become adept with the Will and the Word. Though nowhere near the age of his masters, in one year he would travel the world and discover what he could. First, there was one more lesson he needed to learn...
Kemeron showed up for his lessons and practice under cover of dark along with three or four of his peers. On his way from the dormitory to the practice hall he spied his friend Khiren, a Drasnian, also marching along silently in a hooded cloak in the same direction. There, they each made their way through halls to the rooms to see their specific tutors. When Kemeron arrived at that room, he found not his usual tutor, Gerinar, but Rophiner once again, the Headmaster who was the signal of change in his life.
Rophiner muttered, 'Welcome, Kemeron, to your final set of lessons here. After these, you will be learning beside the brothers here, rather than under them. Sit, and watch as I perform the first Augury you shall see, and which you will then learn to do yourself. I've already prepared the circle of sacrifice. Sit, child.'
Kemeron already knew what was entailed in Augury - he had heard vaguely about what could be done with it. It was the process of predicting the future. He wasn't prepared, however, when Rophiner pulled a live robin from a basket next to him and proceeded to hold it over a basin and slit its throat, letting the blood drain out. Kemeron gasped and turned away from the gruesome sight. 'Kemeron! Pay attention, do not waste the life of this Robin!' Kemeron then heard Rophiner's mutterings behind him and again a call to attention, 'Kemeron!' Then came a slimy splatter, and again, 'Kemeron!'
'With all due respect Sir, I can't do this. I can't take life like this. If I wanted to, I would have been a butch or a carver. I am not though, I'm a woodworker. I take wood and create things, I don't destroy them!'
Rophiner was not used to this kind of outright defiance from Kemeron and just stared silently and awestruck as Kemeron walked out of the room.
In a daze, Kemeron dejectedly slowed and then walked from that practice hall back to his room and on the way, he saw a cat. Appearing to be a stray, it awkwardly approached him and began to rub against him and it... talked.
'Why do you look sullen?' Stunned that this cat could talk, he froze and said nothing. The cat took his silence for idiocy and thus it walked in the other direction. As Kemeron watched, he saw the glint of a prowling fox in the bushes and warned the cat, 'Watch out for that fox in the bushes!' The cat continued on, stopping only to mewl back, 'What do you know of the world of animals? You know nothing.' And as Kemeron watched, the cat proceeded forward through the brush, and let out a huge wail as the fox surely devoured it.
Just then, Rophiner caught up behind him and started, 'Look, I'm sorry if you're upset Kemeron. If you're really...' 'Rophiner, teach me the Augury.' From the steeled look in his eyes, Rophiner was confused, but knew that Kemeron was ready.

So he was finally the Augur Kemeron Terga

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Meeting Luxiena
The girl was on the short side, with dark hair, body tight and trim, and had Kemeron from the moment he walked into the pub. He had come to the Oily Duck with Aelida having every intention to just hang out and to put down a couple lagers, but these goals had been abruptly interrupted by this new presence, which he had never seen before. As he waited at the bar to have his order taken he kept glancing over checking her out.
"Hey tongue in jaw up, lecher. What's your order?" Aelida said as she lightly punched his chin.
"Oh sorry, umm... usual, goodman," Kemeron said to the bartender.
"Green room as usual, Kem?" Aelida asked as Kemeron slowly slid down the stairs to the main room, quite unusually. He took a seat with his back to the wall surveying the rest of the room. Aelida came over and started talking shamelessly about her more intimate bodily details and annoyances, Kemeron barely listening.
"Kem?" she asked.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm listening."
"No, you're not. You're staring at the brunette over there. Look, I like staring too, but don't pretend you're not. She is a cute package. Go say hi to her."
"Oh, Aelida, you know I'm not as forward as you are, I never could."
"Fine, fine," she said with a condemning look and gave up, continuing to try engaging Kem in conversation.
About five minutes later, it suddenly occurred to Kemeron that the brunette was glancing back at him too, surprisingly. He went up to get a drink, and realized that within an instant, she was next to him ordering.
"Hey there, my name's Lux."
"Um, hi Lux. I'm, uh, Kemeron. Hey, look, I'm just drinking with my fr-"
"The one down there drinking with someone who she also seems to be friends with?"
Kemeron glanced down quickly to see Aelida nuzzling some girl already. "Erm, uh yeah..."
"Come on, you're attractive, so let's go get a table. Unless, of course, you're involved with your friend..."
"No, of course not, she's my friend!"
"Then let's go."

Direct, he liked that. He really liked that. And there was more. She was smart, and she captivated him with her knowledge and conscience. They spoke about the current affairs between Drasnia and Gar og Nadrak. The injustice of the Thulls came up, and they speculated on the decadence of the Melcenes. They deeply discussed human rights, and the definition of the meaning of the term "good." At some point Kemeron realized that most people in the bar had left already, and last call had been called.
"Well, I'd better go home," he muttered.
"Finally. I'm coming with you," she said directly and squeezed his side, smiling at him. Feeling like a trite shmuck, he admitted - the smile sealed it.

The next morning, he stumbled into the Wanderers lounge and flopped down on some pillows.
"A good night?" the previously un-noticed Aelida confronted him.
"Yeah... god, she's so smart," Kemeron said, "I almost can't believe that I never saw anything of her in my Auguries. She's pretty damn special."
"She's prolly just an unpredictable sexpot," Aelida said, smiling wryly. "Be careful, now. I don't want her to break you."

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Kemeron and Luxiena
Kemeron sat, pushing himself up with his arms in his bed, simultaneously both stretching and admiring the gorgeous shape and face of the woman beside him. He pondered briefly on the nature of this relationship, unusual for him in its being based almost entirely on sex. Sure, there was the intellectual portion of it too, but it was almost like the sex in its dimension. It just was the great interaction of the two human beings in one of their favorite pastimes, without emotion and being purely recreational. They got together, spoke, had sex, and parted ways, and it was very enjoyable that way. So it was not with surprise that she stirred just when he moved himself up in bed to say,
"Mmm, good morning," with a quick kiss. It was more than slightly surprising however, when she shook her head groggily and told him, "I've got two passes to go see a musical concert today. It's just after sundown, so when would you like to leave for it?"
"I'm sorry, wh... you didn't have to spend money on me Lux, you know."
"Don't think I don't know that, Kem. But worry not," she said with playful gallantry "no such money was spent. I have connections, so the tickets were free."
"Well, I don't know... I'm pretty selective about music."
"Yeah, but you'll like this, Kem. It's not like your average Rivan or Tolnedran music. This particular composer mixes some Cherek tastes with an Arendish folk feel. I think it's right up your alley."
"I... Lux, you continually amaze me. I'm the Augur here, and yet you've managed to predict my music tastes almost to a tee," he continued, raising an eyebrow, "did you look through my sheet music?"
"Nope. I just had a hunch. So you're coming, right?" "Well... yeah. Yeah, I guess I am. Thanks, Lux."
"You're not welcome. You're coming, and that's all I wanted."

"Kemeron, I haven't seen your lady-friend come out yet! You guys are like a couple of rabbits in there!" Kemeron heard as he ventured out into the hall for a second.
"Well, actually she's just changing into her other clothes, Aelida."
"Ooo, randy."
"Well, actually she's changing into night clothes-"
Aelida cut him off with, "Yeah, night clothes," and a wink.
"Actually, we're going out to a concert tonight."
"Wait- you're going to a concert with her? That's a new development. Careful you don't get caught in a net, there. You can hardly Wander if you've got an anchor."
"Hey, don't worry, Aelida. I'm still gonna be a Wanderer, no worries there."

She looked pretty spectacular in her dress for the night - not quite a gown, and not quite regular daywear. He'd hardly known that she'd had it in her. And so they got into the concert hall, and took seats near the middle of the floor. The candles were snuffed one by one and the director came out to lead the orchestra. About a quarter of the way into the concert, Kemeron felt a light touch, which became a gentle hand laid on his leg, followed by a quick clearing of the throat. Lux looked up at him in her seat and he back, locked for only a half second. Kemeron then stretched back just a bit, and laid his arm around her shoulders and... realized Aelida was right. He should've been more careful.

Kemeron, I have never looked forward to delivering this news to you, but of course, knowing your father's condition, we all knew that I would be forced to report it to you sometime. Your father passed away quietly in his sleep last night.

The knock at the door made Luxiena jump and rush to open it. She hadn't seen Kemeron for two days, and missed him - a bit more than she had anticipated. Opening the door, she was delighted to see that he was there, and instantly jumped on him with an enormous hug and a kiss. Kemeron responded, but with little enthusiasm, much to her disappointment.
"Is something wrong, Kem?" Numbly, Kemeron wandered over to her couch half-carrying her along with him. Sitting down, he produced a letter for her, which she read quickly. "Oh, my - I'm so sorry, Kem."
"Well to be honest, it isn't so bad as it might have been, Lux. We all knew that his time was drawing close."
"But, so young! I mean, he must have only been forty-five, fifty years old?"
"Seventy-three, actually."
"But that would have mean that he had you when he was just under fifty. Quite the virile man, I guess - like his son," Luxiena said slightly inappropriately. Kemeron paused, considering what other information he would be asked to reveal alongside the following before asking,
"Is that what you think? Fifty? Lux... my mother bore me when my father was only twenty-five years old."
"But.. that makes you-"
"Forty-eight," Kemeron filled in.
"But you look so young, I don't understand," Lux said, confused.
"Lux, you know my Augury?"
“Well, yes I know you have your ceremonies, but what does that have to do with anything?" Kemeron breathed inward deeply and prepared to reveal something, something that he perhaps should have revealed long before. "Lux, I am a sorcerer," Kemeron said, simultaneously lifting a cup with a brief mutter of the Will and using no physical aid, "I may well live for over two-hundred years."
A long pause interceded before Lux said,
"I don't know how to respond to that. I've never seen real sorcery before. I'd always thought it was just a child's tale."
"It's not."
"Forty-eight?"
"Fifty isn't so 'young' anymore, is it?" he asked with a sad half-wry smile.
"Kem... please leave."
"Lux-,"
"In all our conversations about the existence of Gods, the supernatural, sorcery, you never once thought to bring this up? To point out that it is in fact all real, and you know that because you can do it yourself?"
Kemeron weakly answered, "I enjoyed the argument too much, I enjoyed having that with you." When Luxiena set her lips together and just stared at the door, Kemeron resigned himself and left her house. He had been growing more and more comfortable with her, and he realized then just how devastated he would be to never see her again.

knockknockknock
knockknockknock
knockknockknock
"Kem?"
"Come in."

Luxiena creaked open the door and stuck her head into the room, soon to be followed by her whole person. "I've missed you, Lux," Kemeron quaveringly said.
"I... I'm glad, I've missed you too." Kemeron had been sitting on his bed, and Lux came over to sit on it beside him.
"I'm sorry," they said in unison.
"I just didn't know how to handle it," Lux said. "It was a lot for me, and well, nothing quite prepares you for it, you know?" Kemeron tried to interrupt, but two fingers came up to his mouth to silence his words as she continued, "but I thought about it, and it doesn't matter. You're old, so I have a jealousy of your experiences. I'm afraid of what might happen when I die. You may live forever, and I won't be around for you, and I'm not sure I can handle the thought of you without me... wow, I must sound like a total bitch, huh?" Kemeron stared at her blankly as she kept talking, "Ok, you've no answer to that so I'll take it as yes." Kemeron suddenly answered with,
"And why do you think you feel that way? Because I know exactly why my heart ached when you walked out the door, something I didn’t know before you did so. And I know why it doesn't strike me as egomaniacal that you don't want to imagine me with another girl, because I know I don't want to imagine you with another guy. So, why is it that you think that way?" There was a pause, and then Kemeron's heart then did a leap. You may not know what it feels like, but if you have ever been leaving a building with a raised stoop, and you have been unaware of it, and you've felt your stomach turn as your foot seeks ground an inch higher than where it should be... well, if you've ever felt that, move the turning up from your stomach to your heart, so that you might know what Kemeron felt at that moment.
But then they looked at each other right in the eye, and felt more complete than they ever had before in their lives. And in that moment, she answered the question, and they both knew in their hearts that it was true. And they looked each other in the eye and gave each other that most pure, wonderful kiss that a person may ever share with another.

In the future...
Dressed all in black, Kemeron and a close friend stood by a grave, Kemeron wracked with sobs, the friend rubbing his back. He repeated a name several times over, over, and over again, the same one the pastor uttered the eulogy for. "...and may our dearly departed Luxiena rest in peace for all time..."
The funeral ended, and Kemeron and his friend walked away from the funeral with tears in there eyes, but they quickly faded. And in the shadow of an archway where no one would see their tryst, the stranger pulled her hood over his own head and they kissed the deepest kiss of love despite the funeral of Kemeron's lost one. "It's a good one we pulled over on them, isn't it, Kem? You acted well back there."
"Shhh, don't flatter me, you know that's never done much. Just kiss me, Lux."

Love is the answer to the question I have forgotten but I know I've been asked, so the answer must be love. - Regina Spektor, "Reading Time With Pickle"

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Becoming the Warden
The carpenters who had been hired by Kemeron had done much of the more basic work but of course Kemeron desired to use his hand specifically for the more complicated procedures. Of special attention for him were the ornate bosses which decorated the ceiling and walls of the lobby in the Minstrels Annex. It was these on which Kemeron was working when he got a call from Shinara.
She called to him as he was on the ladder, "Hello Kemeron."
"Oh, hi Shinara. How goes it, milady?"
"It isn't bad. That's a fine job you're doing there."
"This? Well, you know me. I cheat. It's nothing that special."
Shinara replied, "You don't cheat and you know it. It is all care which makes your carvings so wonderful. What's that you're working on right now? A basilisk?"
"No... actually, it's a chameleon," Kemeron said.
"Oh, a chameleon. Well,I'm sure it will come out wonderfully since you have a such a wonderful care with that wood. It's just the sort of thing that we need for our Minstrels themselves."
"Well, find someone to do that then, Shinara, hire a nanny or something."
"Well, I have found someone who can watch over them, help them, tend to them... not a nanny persay, but more of a Warden. Kemeron, you are that person."
"Me? But you know me. I'm most at home with my work, I don't really need-"
Shinara cut him off. "Kemeron, I want you to be the Warden of the Minstrels, and that's all. Now, will you do it or not?" Kemeron laughed at the straight-forward way which Shinara put it.
"Fine. I’ll see if I can settle into it, but only because you asked me like that and only for a trial period," Kemeron half-heartedly compromised.
"Good. I’ll see you later in the Lounge when we make the announcement, Warden."

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Stepping Down
Shinara:
It's time.
-*Kemeron

Four words. Only two in the body. Two were proper nouns. Four words, but it signalled the end of a stage of Kemeron's life. He viewed the note with a strange taste in his mouth, eyeing it warily across the room as he packed up those of his belongings which could be moved. The cabinet and bed which he had so lovingly carved would remain in his room, as would a great deal of his tapestries which could not come with him on his travels. He would be wandering far and wide after stepping down as Lord of the Minstrels, and he could not be too heavy on the back.
He spied the note again as he packed, and sighed to himself. Unfortunately, it was just too - stable. He had felt a little locked up in the position, a bit like he was stagnating under the consistency of it. Now he needed to get churned up a bit, be moved about by the winds of fortune. And so he was leaving.
He left quietly, desiring no great fuss, in the middle of the night. He unlocked the door to Shinara's office and left his note and his myriad clan keys on her desk, and then locked the door behind him. She would take care of the rest.

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Back to the Fraternity
Kemeron boarded the ship heading back for Riva, having first travelled from Sendar and the Wanderers hall to the port town of Camaar, from which he now set off. He had recently left a note to his old clan lord, Shinara, in which he declared his intent to leave the his position as Lord, and ultimately the clan. He had sent his belongings to Riva already so as not to have to carry them around Camaar and such places with him, and so he only had his amulets and such on his person. He headed into his cabin.
He woke up with a start, the blackened lantern in his room swinging wildly, the floor under his feet doing the same. He staggered out and was promptly hit in the head by a swinging pully, and knocked overboard, out cold, into the waves of the storm. As his body floated along in the foam, his necklace glowed green...
Kemeron woke up sputtering on the beach, and a blurry face loomed over him, grinning with a grin that was intimidating and untrustworthy, hardly setting him to ease with any humour. But then the face coalesced, sharpening into a familiar one, that of his old friend Grekan. The armored ex-knight gave him a quick slap to the stomach and said, "well, that was one hell of a way to come back to us. I was, erm, maintaining some operations here, and saw your green pendant here a-glowing." Kemeron looked about with distaste at the illegal operations which Grekan was guiding on the beach and then turned his head, preferring not to know the details of this branch of his Fraternity, the Syndicate. "Now why don't you get your ass up. I'm not waiting for you all day, and we've got some changes to make, and I think you'll be helping." Kemeron, with a sense of fate in his stomach like a shot of cream liqueur in a beer, realized that he would once again be a member of the Progeny of the Light, in the Fraternity.

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Kemeron meets Caienus
'What a delightful meeting,' Kemeron thought as he strolled out of the bar and headed toward the Minstrels clan hall. He was visiting Sendar to gather information about the world and luckily ran into Ethadea, who had taken over his position as Minstrels lord after he left the Wanderers. She had informed him of a new recruit, one Caienus, who was a shady little Tolnedran. Kemeron was going to crash at the Wanderers hall for the night and, told her that he would size up this strange Tolnedran who professed to not like money.
Kemeron entered the lounge and asked the old Sendar healer to point out the lad when he came by. As soon as he asked, the old man pointed out Caienus, who was already in the lounge. enthusiastically regaling some bored-looking clan mates with some tales and gossip. The Sendar smoothly introduced the two, 'Caienus! Come here, there's someone you might want to meet, you young whipper-snapper. This here is Kemeron, the old Lord of Minstrels from before Lady Ethadea came along.'
Caienus then immediately jumped up and greeted the Rivan with a giant smile plastered to his face. 'Ah, my Lord!' he said and bowed. Kemeron laughed it off, 'I'm not your Lord, Caienus, Ethadea is.' 'Oh, but any Lord, former or not, is still my Lord, sir.' Kemeron replied testily not caring much for the boy's deferent attitude, 'No. No, I'm not.' Kemeron tried to switch tracks by asking, 'so why are you here in Minstrels? What drew you here?' 'Well, actually sir, I had heard of your reputation, and I wanted to start to learn more of the world, and to enrich myself and to learn about the customs and events of the different lands so maybe I can one day help to bring goodness to it, with a Tolnedran efficiency, and maybe one day I could even help to bring about world p-' Kemeron cut him off, thinking that something was up, 'that's great, Caienus, really great. Hey, I've got a couple more people to catch up with right now, see how Shinara is doing, all of that. So, I'll see you later! I'd love to hear a bit more about your plans, maybe.'
What a frustrating lad. Grossly obsequious, he already drove Kemeron up a wall. What did the man think he was up to, whose eyes he was pulling the wool over, who he was talking to. Kemeron was no teenager to be impressed easily with silly words, or to so naive as to believe that the Tolnedran really was doing research to bring about world peace and positive change. Then there was the last question. What was Caienus up to? He'd have to keep an ear to the ground concerning him...

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