Rangers: Headquarters & Armoury

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - January 24th
~ the day the Rangers return from sea training ~

Once Cali took a seat, Arnyn did the same. She blinked when the Smith put forth she thought someone may be trying to kill her. What?

And then... Cali began explaining why. And Arnyn... was not sure how to respond. Cali... was right on the money about the poison, of course. But so very wrong about the intent.

"Cali," she began, and then soon got stuck. She could not tell the woman that she had been poisoning herself. "Continued to seem just a little... what?" the Lieutenant asked. "I am fine, now," she countered. For she was definitely doing much better than she had been, weeks ago. For she had lowered her dose, as Gladhron had asked her, and her body had learned to metabolize it. Meanwhile, she was once more inching close to what she had begun taking at the start - with very few side effects. The expanded black of her pupils, which was less noticeable with her already dark eyes than it would be for people with light coloured irises, was now the only outward tell she displayed. And within.. other than a clearly increased thirst, she only felt some additional effects if she awoke in the night, now.

"I had a few rough days, at the time. That does not necessarily mean someone was trying to kill me. I am aware I do not fall sick often, but... I don't believe anyone was trying to kill me," she said, all of it the truth, in and by itself. Arnyn smiled a little. "I appreciate you for looking out for me, however."

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Armory smith, Cali Dringolben
Jan 24, Command office

"I know, I realize that," Cali admitted, when Arnyn assured her that having a few rough days didn't mean someone was poisoning her. "And that's why I didn't think too much about it at the time. And you do seem significantly better.. now. Now that you've been away from here for a few weeks." She emphasized.

"In fact, it wasn't even until a few days ago that I started to question it," She went on. "And if that was the only thing to make me wonder about it, I'd probably dismiss the entire idea as crazy." She went on, before venturing onward to supply a bit more physical evidence to support her concerns.

"This," Cali unwrapped the broken pieces of leather and laid them on the desk, "came from your saddle. I was asked to replace it a few days ago." The Smith explained. "I'm not sure how much you know about leather and all that, but.. I know a good deal about it, myself. My mother's brother runs a leather shop here in town, right across from my family's forge, and I used to spend some time there with him, growing up. So, I learned a good deal about leather as well as metal, and I work with both all day." She took a breath before pointing to the broken spot. "I can assure you, Lieutenant... this has been tampered with. Deliberately."

[Ercassie]

Ehtyar Ilisys Azrubêl, finding Ranger Unalmis Raxëlilta.
Outside Ranger Headquarters >> Heading for the Armoury. Late January.

After exiting the Headquarters, the Ehtyar stalled. Glanced somewhat off the beaten track and found what she had not been looking for. A blend of surprise, resolve and concern formed a rather inscrutable expression. Which she took over to meet the young man’s clearly troubled countenance.

Without a word she stood at hand, glanced at the folded piece of parchment which the other Ranger was turning over in both hands, and then laid her steady gaze upon him. No question, no comment. Under the relentless silence though Unalmis sighed and idly kicked at nothing, with one boot. “I thought a written report would be just as ..” he began and did not finish. The offering he had not rightly offered up was accepted and bourne out of his grasp by long fingers.


“They are expecting you,” the woman reminded him, albeit gently, as she pocketed the other, unviable option. The choice to fail to report in .. would be an entirely other decision. But the young man’s head was not in the right state of mind to make any decision right now. There were so many voices screaming with a hundred reasons to do, or not do, any given thing he might conceive of .. that he had no answer what was the right thing to even consider. From their vantage point, the pair observed Ranger Mourgan arrive and enter the Headquarters, without interruption. Unalmis did not look at all sorry that he had missed his chance to take his turn.

“You said your friend is the best smith in Minas Tirith,” the Belfalasian recalled, and caught the young man’s attention by baiting a surprise. Nal could not disagree but was not quite ready to concede to wherever this might all take them. The sight of Cadil making his way into the Headquarters caused Unalmis to drop his gaze down to his feet again. Isys watched after the other young Ranger, thoughtfully, before she brought her grey eyes back upon her charge. And then made off with easy strides toward the armoury, and no further hint of what she might do or say once she had arrived there. Nal noted her destination and made haste to catch her up, so that the two made it almost a race into Cali’s place of work, before Mourgan ever exited the Headquarters.

There was time, the Ehtyar deemed.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - January 24th
~ the day the Rangers return from sea training ~

She looked curious now, wondering what exactly had caused Cali to go down this path 'a few days ago'. The broken pieces of leather that found their way to the desk, made her eyebrows lift. "Those came from my saddle?" The Lieutenant frowned, trying to make sense of that while Cali went on to argue why she thought it was suspicious. And it definitely was. Because... "Everything about that saddle was in good condition before we set off," she told Cali. It would hardly surprise people that she was specific about her mounts gear, so she did not expand further on how regularly she checked it. "This is how it was brought to you?" Her frown deepened. "By whom?" Trastion, she imagined, immediately after the question left her lips. And that gave her pause. For there had been no wear and tear to a degree that this could have just naturally happened in just a few weeks. Not with the way Trastion handled gear. Arnyn knew how he did. He had already cleared that part of his training. And if whatever had happened to that strap, had happened while she was away, then who was to say that anyone was targeting her?

Arnyn knew Cali's concerns about the poison were not linked to any outside interference, of course. So another singular event would not necessarily be about her. Sure, perhaps a ranger Lieutenant was a target. But Trastion's situation was... precarious in a very different way. Had Trastion begun his axe training? Had Macardil figured it out, perhaps mentioned it to someone? Or was she jumping to worst case scenarios, out of the fear they might be true?

Recognizing she was forgetting one part of her, she deliberately pushed herself back into Lieutenant mode. "Were all other saddles in the stables inspected, after this was brought to you? It is possible not only my gear was affected."

[Karis Ziranphel]

Karis Ziranphel, Cúner Ranger
January Files - January 3rd
Headquarters

Walking into the archives filing room adjacent to the library and offices, Ziran carefully carried the small shielded lantern over to the stand by a desk and locked it into the bracket that sat ready for it, before adjusting the wick to lend enough light to read clearly. Taking an assessing look at the cabinets and shelves lit by the steady flicker of the flame for a brief moment, she stepped over to one of the shelves and lifted down a fully loaded crate of paperwork and brought it over to the desk she had claimed, the fingerless gloves she wore finding purchase on the wood of the crate.

Lieutenant Brian had been delighted when she offered to tackle the backlog of files that had been created during the last two years with the transition of the whole military into the Rangers or other organizations and sort any strays into the correct files. It had been one of the things that had only been partly kept up with and not really part of his job with running the barracks housing and supply, but which he had contributed plenty with reclamation of equipment that had not been gifted to those departing. It hadn’t been entirely neglected, but the sheer volume of paperwork wasn’t the highest priority next to every day tasks that he and the few remaining clerks had to deal with regarding supplies and rosters. Releasing the army had meant that the army of clerks working on personnel had also been let go.

The latest personnel files, those on current Rangers and recruits, were in the main office, but there were still many familiar names that she came across as she started sorting through and arranging them alphabetically while adding a connected note on their service years and areas of experience rather than the original system that had only been organized by dismissal date. It was tedious but not particularly difficult, and the hours passed slowly before the lantern fuel burned low and began to flicker, reminding her of the time spent.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Armory smith, Cali Dringolben
Jan 24, Command office

"Yes, your saddle." Cali confirmed, nodding with a small frown. She let the lieutenant take a moment to consider that, and nodded when she said that everything had been in good condition when she left it. She didn't find that surprising, since Arnyn seemed like the sort of person who took good care of her things. And she didn't recall ever having to make any repairs on Arnyn's gear, either.

"It was Trastion who brought it to me," She answered. "He said that he'd neglected to inspect the saddles before setting out that day, because he'd checked everything the week before and all was fine, and he didn't think it was all that necessary." She paused. "Trastion thought that the D ring on the saddle must have rubbed the leather and worn through it, but.." She shook her head. "My eyes see something very different." She pointed to the place where the leather strap would have been folded over the D ring. "First, you can see that there's barely any metallic coloring rubbed off on there, right? But look at how the underside of the leather is sort of... rough. That's not from the metal. It'd be smoother if that was the case. This looks.. like someone's taken a rasp or something, and deliberately filed the leather down so it would be worn thin enough to break when there was too much strain on it." She explained.

The next question made Cali nod. "I went and looked at them all, myself." She answered. "Not a single one of them had that sort of damage done to them. Only yours." She paused. "Hence, what made me begin questioning that day you got sick.. and what's made me begin to worry that someone might be ought to get you." She concluded. "Whoever it is probably didn't expect someone else to use your saddle, and to ride your horse." She mentioned, which made sense to her. "I mean," She hesitated. "It wasn't all that long ago that someone was out to get the rangers in general. Someone who was known to use poison," She reminded her. "So, who knows, maybe someone else is out to get the lieutenant of the rangers? They probably figured that you would be the next person to ride your horse, and then..." She shrugged. "Anyway. I wanted to bring it to your attention. Just in case."

[Pele Alarion]

@Arnyn , @Lantaelen

Captain Pele Alarion and also Recruit Cadil
Headquarters - Rangers reporting to the Command after sea training - late January

"I try my best to impress but always end up messing things up," Cadil muttered in response to Arnyn's statement. He did his best again - to collect his scattered thoughts and provide reasonable answers to the Lieutenant's questions. Pele looked towards the recruit with a slight frown, arms folded on her chest, but a merry spark lit her blue eyes as she eventually could not help but laugh softly before urging the Recruit: "Come now, Cadil, relax. No one is going to chastise you." After a moment's consideration she pulled her snack box out of the drawer, took the cover off and slid it towards Cadil across the desk. "Here, want some nuts to help you think?"

"Oh, thank you, Captain!" the young man seemed to perk up slightly as he took two hazelnuts, munched on them, and turned back towards Arnyn once his mouth was empty - he was not about to make an even bigger fool of himself by spitting bits of chewed nuts on his Lieutenant.

"I think... one of my worst mistakes, or something, is that I somehow make such mistakes whenever I am too focused on trying to impress," he admitted thoughtfully with a glance towards Pele, and continued after a slight nod from her. "It's not like I really mean to do those things, I just..." his voice trailed off and he shrugged.

"Your brain seems to switch off for some reason," Pele put in.

"Yeah, and I suppose it is not exactly a good thing, not on the sea, not on an important mission," he continued. "I was trying hard to... behave... even on the ship. But somehow... facing you three together set all my progress back. But I'll try to do better, I promise! I promise to adhere strictly to all orders."

Pele rolled her eyes slightly and reminded him gently: "You just said that trying to make impressions causes you to make mistakes, and now you sound like you are heading into the same trap. But don't despair, we'll see if we can work on this, hmm. Now, answer about the fear."

"Ohhhhh," Cadil drew out his breath and then set off into a story with more ease. "The storm must have been the worst. I am not all that excited about ships in general, and experiencing that - I thought I would not make it back and that sea would swallow me up. The waves almost carried me off the deck - had I not had a rope secured around me..."

Pele hummed softly. While she thought that Cadil had generally performed quite well, there was still much room for growth. It appeared that there was still a plenty of work to do if the Recruit should be kept as part of the mission.

"Are you willing to continue putting in a lot of effort, intense work to improve yourself? And how do you imagine the way out of your trail of mistakes, Cadil?" she therefore asked.

Cadil blinked and sighed. "Honestly, I dunno... eh... I do not know how to do it, but I will not give up and will do all it takes," he promised again, hoping that the leaders would not think him totally unfit.

Pele turned slightly towards Arnyn and Abrazimir to see whether they had more questions for the Recruit before them.

[Rillewen]

@Ercassie

Smith Cali
Jan 25th - Armory

Cali found herself in a rare moment, when she had no active projects to work on. With so many of the rangers gone for most of the past month, there had been far less things for her to repair or otherwise do. So, she'd gotten through pretty much everything that she had on her 'to-do' list, and now... she was left feeling a tiny bit bored.

Of course, she knew that the rangers were back, and that her work would surely pick up again soon. But still, she was a little glad when someone came walking in. She was even more happy to see that Nal was one of them. A smile greeted him as Cali left the seat where she'd been doodling out some ideas. "I was starting to wonder.." She began, though she left off from any teasing comments as she realized that she didn't really know Isys. She had met her, somewhat, on a few occasions, but that was about all. And that was hardly enough to get to know the woman. From all that she'd heard from Nal, even those who had known Isys her entire life still could hardly claim to really know her well.

"How did the sailing go?" Cali asked, her gaze shifting from Isys to Nal. The latter would surely understand that there was more to the question than simply how it sounded, of course. Considering... the circumstances of the last time he was on a ship. And the sailing 'adventures' of their other brother. And, well... everything there was to consider, when it came to the topic of sailing.

[Arnyn]

@Rillewen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters, Command Office - January 24th
~ the day the Rangers return from sea training ~

Intrigued, Arnyn paid close attention to Cali's words as she explained the situation further and detailed her own assessment of what had happened to the strap. It was good to hear that the smith had also inspected every saddle that was kept at the ranger stables. At least that was one thing Arnyn would not have to follow up on, then.

The next question Arnyn asked, though, might not be the most expected one. But the Lieutenant's concern for her protegé took central billing, currently. "Did Trastion notice before setting out? Is he alright?"

Once that had been answered, Arnyn fought the urge to narrow her eyes when Cali mentioned that it wasn't all that long ago that someone was out to get the rangers. Instead, the Lieutenant slanted her head.

"Regardless of any of that," Arnyn simply responded, "the taller the tree, the stronger the wind. It's just the natural order of things." It was a risk that came with the territory - basically. It made sense to pick out officers in skirmishes and battle. Arnyn herself had given such orders.
By extention, it made sense to try and eliminate officers off the field as well, especially if they were giving the adversary too much trouble. It was not unthinkable that someone might be targeting her. And if this was a relatively recent thing... then perhaps this was a sign that any hope for trusting Ava was indeed misplaced. Or - a sign that Ava had been watched, and that Arnyn was now on Umbar's radar. For Arnyn had not been, so far. Not to her knowledge, at least.
Or perhaps the story of Relic's demise had somehow found its way back to Umbar, and it was entirely unrelated to Ava.
Or... as she had already been worrying moments before, Trastion had been the target. Not her.

But if Trastion was targeted, it would not do to drop any hint of that to Cali. For that would raise further questions of why he would be - and that was much too dangerous territory.

"Thank you for bringing this to me," Arnyn finally nodded. "I will be keeping those," she added, with another nod of her head toward the leather straps. They were technically a part of her saddle, after all.

It almost seemed like the timing was intentional when another knock came at the door. Arnyn's gaze flicked toward it, then back to Cali. "If there is nothing else we need to discuss, I'm afraid we'll have to wrap it up here, Cali."

[Arnyn]

@Pele Alarion @Lantaelen

Lieutenant Arnyn Dealedwen
Headquarters - Rangers reporting to the Command - late January
Concerning: To the Belegaer & Back Again

Arnyn did not know much about Cadil. Other than the first impressions she'd gathered of him so far. That his heart was in the right place, even if his skill level might not be. Attitude was harder to fix than skill, though. Then again, aptitude was something you ever had... or did not have. And the Lieutenant could not help but privately wonder, at least for a moment, if Cadil would need to carry an endless supply of snacks to Umbar, if that is what he needed to keep his wits about him.

Therefore, she quietly listened to the exchange between the recruit and the Captain, and made a small note on the paper in front of her, which was slowly starting to fill up after the number of reports they'd already heard. And while Arnyn was not entirely satisfied with the answers Cadil had presented, nor could she say she was convinced he was skilled enough to join them on the mission to Umbar, he was being trained by Pele, and she was Captain. Her assessment counted, and that was that. The Lieutenant gave a minute shake of her head, indicating she had no further questions beyond those she had already posited earlier.

"Unless Lord Abrazimir has any further questions for you, recruit, you are dismissed," she simply put forth, looking sideways at Abrazimir for either confirmation or his possible inquiries to Cadil.

[Rillewen]

@Arnyn

Armory smith, Cali Dringolben
Jan 24, Command office

The lieutenant's question made Cali pause. Because it was sort of a double question, and she had to decide how to answer that. "I believe he's alright," She answered. "But no, he didn't notice it before he left. It apparently broke while he was riding." She explained. "It wasn't completely... sawed through, you might say," She added. "More like, worn thin enough that the horse did the rest once there was enough strain on the leather piece."

Cali held back a sigh as the lieutenant seemed to almost brush off the possibility that someone might be out to get her, specifically. It wasn't like Cali had any particular person in mind who might have a grudge or vendetta against Arnyn, but she did feel like this was concerning enough to not shrug and dismiss it. 'Natural order of things'? Maybe that was so, but it seemed odd to Cali that someone who had a problem with the rangers would target the second in command, and not the first. But she had done her part. Now, it was in Arnyn's hands.

Cali nodded as Arnyn declared that she would be keeping the leather pieces. "Of course." She answered, having no objection to it. It wasn't like Cali had any use for those, and she wouldn't deny Arnyn something which technically belonged to her. "Nothing that I can think of," She shook her head. "I am glad you're back, lieutenant." She added with a little smile, on a more friendly note. Then there was a knock, and Cali figured that was her cue to go. "I'll be in the armory, if you have any questions or need me for anything." She let her know, then she left the office, with a little nod in passing to whoever was waiting outside the door.

[Ercassie]

@Rillewen

Ehtyar Ilisys Azrubêl and Ranger Unalmis Raxëlilta.
visiting Cali / the Armoury. January 25th.

The easy greeting which the Smith offered Unalmis, seemed to wither right there on the younger woman’s lips, when she registered that Isys had also come unto her little haven. The Belfalasian could scarcely blame Cali although she was surprised at the atypical shyness. She had not recalled seeing the other woman cowed by strangers when they had first met, but that first impression was in part a reason why the lady had headed this way. She dutifully nudged her chin into a subtle descent, of acknowledgement for the female artisan, and could not help but a small smile to herself. Even as the younger Ranger then reclaimed all of his ‘sister’s attention. Cali’s remark did inspire a half dozen possible responses that the young man might have guessed for fun, to complete her ‘wondering’. And Nal started to open his mouth, to shape some sort of reply, but then furrowed his brow and seemed to think better of it. A shrug was the concluding response to Cali’s query. The epitome of vague. Although perhaps as telling in his silence as in anything he might have said. And the Ehtyar made with a side look, to consider the young man. As their hostess asked a question which she hoped he might have found a little easier to face, coming from his sister, than from the pending officials.


“The venture was crisp, calm and quite intriguing,” the Ehtyar then answered .. because somebody had to say something. “Except for when it was not,” she added, drawing one hand faintly along a line of shields which were festooning the wall nearby. Leaning in, Isys appeared to scrutinise the closest example, and then stepped back to inspect it further, from an altered angle. She remembered her company after a moment, when she shot a look in the other Ranger’s direction. After he did not venture any opinion to improve on hers.

“You forgot to give me those instructions,” he shot back a meaningful look of his own instead. “The written instructions ..” he made his try to have the written report she had confiscated .. returned. For surely she could not refuse him, not in front of company.


“I remember,” Isys put in, blithely. And did not move to return his notes. “It is all up here.” she supposed, although tapped lightly at her heart, rather than her head. “I remember too that I was bid,” Isys returned to her past success in changing the subject, “that you, are the greatest smith in all of Minas Tirith.” Grey eyes flicked to Nal and then back to Cali, in a subtle reveal of how she had come to her conclusion. “I have always relied on my family’s people, back home,” the Ehtyar furthered the not quite apology, for favouring others of that craft. “But back home is now very far away,” Isys sighed, more forlorn than seemed necessary. “Trust between a smith and the warrior who she dresses, is a most important root relationship.” She turned to examine the line of polearms, her face brightening to see them as another lady’s might delight to observe rows of dresses, or of shoes.

[Rillewen]

@Ercassie

Smith Cali
Jan 25th - Armory

Belatedly, Cali realized that she had forgotten to actually say the "hello" that she'd meant to aim at the ehtyar, but she hoped that it was implied well enough. And it fortunately didn't seem as if the lady was offended, for sure spoke in place of Nal in answering Cali's inquiry. Which was of course fine, since she'd meant the question for them both, anyway.

Cali was not entirely sure, however, what to make of the response once it was given. And it definitely didn't escape her notice that Nal merely gave a shrug, and didn't seem enthusiastic about telling her much about the 'venture'. That, coupled with the concerns she'd had about the whole ordeal, left her still concerned about him. But perhaps he just didn't want to talk about it in front of Isys? Maybe he intended to wait until they were all together to tell his own impressions about the sailing. Cali thought about that while Unalmis was asking Isys for some instructions, and the latter replied to him.

She was trying to think of how she might coax a little more information from her brother, when Isys then addressed Cali, with words clearly come from the young ranger standing next to her. Cali glanced at Nal with a slightly raised eyebrow and a half smile, before turning her smile toward the lady knight of Belfalas. The best Smith in all of Minas Tirith? "Well... it's a possibility, anyway," She answered with amusement. "Though i haven't really inspected the work of the smith's down in the marketplace lately, so i wouldn't actually know, for sure." She admitted, neither confirming or denying the claim as true. She watched the ehtyar examine the shields and pole-arms, while casting a questioning sidelong glance at Nal.

As Isys continued, Cali nodded. One couldn't blame her for using her own family's smith, of course. And she agreed, too, about the trust thing. "Well, is there something you need, Ehtyar, which I can help with? I'll do my best not to disappoint, after such a build up of my reputation," She added, casting another, half amused, glance at Nal. Because of course that would have come from him, and she appreciated it just as much as she also felt slightly self-conscious about him bragging about her to people.