Arrival on Berk

[Deleted]

Time and Date:: October 4th 11:29 a.m.
Weather:: Clear
Previous Threads?:: None

CURRENT IC SEASON - Winter

It had taken a very long time to get here.  Slag knew this given how he had spent the last two weeks in his small rowboat rowing and rowing and rowing across the archipelago from his homeland of Muiyl, past the Isle of Silence and past further than the island of Bashem.  All he had in his rowboat were some supplies, food, tent, a few furs, his sword, hunting gear, his armor and a rather heavy bag that he had brought with him to give to the chief of Berk. 

With each row, he had to remind himself of why he was doing this.  He reminded himself that back on Muiyl, Slag MacLean wasn't a great warrior.  He was only at the lower end of average.  A fact that his brothers and sisters exploited since the day he entered his first battle and only came away with killing a duck and giving a horse a slight limp.  But with the many travelers and traders coming to Muiyl to trade goods of foreign lands for Muiyls precious metals and gemstones, Slag had heard tales of a boy, who long ago on the island of Berk, had trained dragons. 

Slag pushed the paddle into the water and pushed further along the surface when he remembered the day that he went to see his father, the leader of the Clan MacLean. 

"Fadda," He pleaded, "We all hear' da stories o Berk.  Da Dragons and who trains 'em.  Let me go ta Berk and learn of their ways." 

His father contemplated the request for two days and at last came to Slag with a heavy bag and told him, "Give thas to da Chief of Berk and I'm sure dat he'll take you in." 

Slag never looked into the bag.  He was too overzealous to get into the boat and travel there himself.  And so, he bounced around from island to island to avoid traveling on the open water.  He had passed the Island of Bashem and had been traveling along the Sullen Sea for four solid days.  It was thanks to the special pendant that one of the traders had given to the chief that helped him keep his bearing.  It was made of pounded metal in the shape of a shark but it always pointed north no matter which way one turned it while it hung on its string. 

He took it out and saw that he was still going east and yet he couldn't see the island of Berk but onward he pressed. 

Within a few hours, he saw something on the horizon.  It might have been a landmass or it could have been a mirage brought on by his imagination that wished to see land again.  He paddled faster and faster and there he saw it.  He saw the great stone statues of Vikings with their mouths open like sharks with chiseled stone teeth.  Each one holding an axe in its hand and great horned helmets. 

"Berk," He said to himself and paddled even faster. 

Coming past the great stone statues, he saw the wooden docks.  Never before had he been so excited to see Such a mundane part of and island and beyond the docks he saw people.  The Legendary Vikings of Berk.  His arms were growing sore and tired from his rigorous and expeditious paddling but he was so close and he didn't want to give up just yet. 

At last, the dock was only a few feet away and he gave one last burst of whatever energy he had left and his boat banged into the support struts of the dock.  Gripping onto the wooden slats of the dock he pulled himself off of his boat, pulling the anchoring line and tied it to the dock.  He was down on his knees and he kissed the wooden slats. 

"I made it," He said silently before getting up and cried out to all who could hear him, "OI!  I AM SLAG MACLEAN OF THE CLAN MACLEAN FROM THE ISLAND OF MUIYL!  I'VE COME TO LEARN THE WAYS OF DRAGON TRAINING.  WHO HERE IS THE CHIEF?"

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis glanced down to the docks, it had been a fairly quiet day so far. Not very many people were at the docks and even less were roaming the village streets, it mattered little to how many people were walking around it wasn't like we were under attack. He shook his head slightly and glanced over to his dragons behind him and raised an eyebrow as he noticed Silvia continuously hitting Slity with her tail, the annoyed look on Slitys face was that needed to be shown to show the annoyance from the younger dragon.

"What are ya doing Silvia?" Curtis asked as he turned back around and headed down the docks, his dragons in tow behind him.

"Whats it look like? I'm bugging the yak crap right out of Slity."  Silvia replied back.

Curtis rolled his eyes and smirked to himself as they continued their way down the ramps towards the dock level, "You definitely act your age Silvia." Curtis replied back.

After a couple minutes of walking down the ramp, they finally made it to the bottom and it seemed like they were just in time too. Curtis peered out and noticed a small boat heading towards the docks, he tilted his head, confused at who or what it could be. He stood there and waited for the boat to get closer, it could have been a fisherman out on the water but normally they were in bigger boats. Slowly the boat came closer before Curtis was able to make out the persons features, no one he had ever seen before so it was possible they could be from elsewhere.

""OI! I AM SLAG MACLEAN OF THE CLAN MACLEAN FROM THE ISLAND OF MUIYL! I'VE COME TO LEARN THE WAYS OF DRAGON TRAINING. WHO HERE IS THE CHIEF?"

He smirked and chuckled to himself as he walked over to the older man on the docks. He patted off his jacket for a moment before looking to the newcomer,"Well. I'm no chief, but even if you do want to talk to the chief, yelling on the docks is hardly the way to do so." Curtis commented as he examined the man head to toe, "Never seen you before. What's your name?"

[Deleted]

Slag saw a kid coming towards him. At least he assumed that it was a kid given how young in appearance he was with a face that looked like he was just starting to develop beard stubble. The kid was a few inches taller than him but he looked much skinnier like some kind of fat kid that had been stretched by two strong horses. The kid looked down at Slag with bluish eyes. From the way that Slag had sized him up, he seemed far too pretty to be a Viking. Deep down he was hoping that this kid wasn't the Viking chief. IF he were then all those stories about the vikings being just as fierce as the Muiylanders were just all a lot of hot air and Slag had made the journey for nothing.

When the kid approached him and said that yelling on the docks was hardly the way to see the chief. He felt like telling the kid to shove it but when he asked the question of what his name was that's when the annoyance got to him more.

"Didn't ya hur what I said?" Slag asked, "I sayd ma name is Slag MacLean of the Clan MacLean from the Isle of Muiyl. I've come ta lurn abah dragons. Where is the Viking Chief?"

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis smirked as he held up his hand after Slag finished repeating what he practically just said the first time around, "Yes, Yes, I know I was screwing with you. " He said as he looked down to the shorter man, "Don't know where Muiyl is, never came across it on my ways to and from Red Rock that's for sure. " Curtis added in, not really excepting the man to know what he was talking about.

It seemed odd to him, a man comes out of nowhere by a small dinghy of a boat and says he wants to start learning about how to train dragons. "Aren't ya a little old to start learning how to train dragons? " Curtis asked out of curiosity. It was obviously that where ever Slag was from, it obviously wasn't somewhere with very much knowledge on how to train a dragon, if at all any.

"Who's the older guy? And why does he smell like rotten fish." Slity said behind him.

"I don't know why don't you ask him yourself? " Curtis replied as he glanced back to his dragons. He shook his head for a moment and looked back to Slag to return to his original question, "No idea where the chief is at the moment, but I doubt that's who you want to be talking to if you want to learn how to train dragons. Plus I don't know how welcoming some people will be to a guy who just appeared on the island just to learn about dragons. " Curtis added in.

[Deleted]

Hearing this boy saying he was "screwing" with him already made Slag feel like he was back in Muiyl since his brothers and sisters often liked to do that with him. Just when the boy had asked Slag if he was a little old to start learning how to train dragons he looked over and saw a very peculiar sight coming towards him. A dragon. By all the forces in nature there was a dragon not a few feet away from Slag.

He took a good look at it. He noticed how it had a certain sleek look to it, it's head was flat and triangular, it's legs were long, longer than a full grown mans. Then there were the eyes, eyes that were a deep violet color. A shade that Slag had not seen since some of the gems that were pulled out of the mines of Muiyl. Then there was it's color, the thing was white but when it moved the scales gave off a sheen and flare of light like sunlight reflecting off the surface of a rippling lake.

Slag was about to open his mouth to say something but then he noticed how the dragon was saying something to the boy and the boy hand responded "I don't know, why don't you ask him yourself."  Already Slag found this very odd and wondered if the boy was mental or if he had something that Slag didn't when it came to dragons. 

Turning his attention back to the boy who said that he wasn't sure if the chief was the one to talk to when it came to learn how to train dragons. 

Slag said, "I hav somethun for the Chief himself.  A gift from the isle of Muiyl." 

Slag didn't explain what the gift was mainly because he didn't look into the bag during the whole trip. 

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis raised an eyebrow as the man mentioned something about a gift for the chief. He glanced over to the bag in the boat before returning his gaze back to Slag, "Well, why don't you show me whats in the bag? Whats the gift for the chief of Berk eh? Wouldn't want the chief to end up getting attacked or killed by what ever might be in the bag." He suggested to Slag as he motioned his hand to the bag in the boat.

Silvia peered at Slag, sitting behind Curtis like she was a statue. He violet eyes captured every movement and her ears every sound and word. Slity did more or less the same as his female counterpart.

"Random man appears on the island, and wants to learn how to train a dragon? Why does that seem odd to me?" Silvia asked as she glanced over to Slity.

"There's always the possibility that he wants to have a reason to be on the island so he can plot against everyone, or maybe he just wants to learn how to train a dragon?" 

"But why cant the hairy man do it on his own island?"

"Guh, would you two keep it down back there?" Curtis commented as he looked back to his dragons. The dragons peered at him and Silvia shook her head at him before he looked back to slag, "So that gift, let's see it. "

[Deleted]

Slag cocked an eyebrow at the boy. He then went back down to the boat and pulled up his bags of supplies. The first thing that he went for was his large claymore which he strapped to his pack thanks to the large leather belt. The next bag he pulled up was a bag of supplies that had cooked meats and breads which he had been eating for the entire trip. Finally there was the heavy bag that he had been given by his father. The bag that he didn't look in but he had a very shrewd idea of what was in it. The very thing that many other invaders had come to his island in the west to take from them.

Pulling it up and setting it down on the dock with both his hands upon the opening he opened it up to show that there were dozens of gold coins and several different hand cut gems in the bag. He held it open to the boy and kept a very keen eye on him to make sure that he wasn't about to reach over and take the bag. Which would have been something to see given how heavy the thing was but he still needed to be vigilant just in case he was about to reach in and take any.

Slag may have been a marginal warrior on Muiyl but he was still a warrior and all he had to do was make a quick reach for his claymore.

"You nava told me who you were," Slag said keeping his hands ready.

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis watched with intrigue as Slag walked back to his boat, grabbing not only the bag of interest, but also his weapon. He didn't pay too much attention to it though, seeing as how even if Slag were to attack him not only did he have two dragons behind him he also had weapons of his own. He patted the hilt of his sword and looked around the area as Slag took his time in opening the bag, part of Curtis figured it wouldn't be something to impressive, but if he wanted to give it to the chief it had to of been someone of interest at least.

As Slag opened the bag, Curtis noticed the gold coins and the cut gems that laid within. He raised an eyebrow and smirked to himself as he view the gift the outsider had brought to Berk, "If I didn't know any better, I could easily say that you took this from a passing ship on your way here. But of course, not only do I not know who you are aside from a name, I don't know the island where you're from. So I won't go as far as to judge you like that. " Curtis made comment, mostly as a joke though.

When he heard Slag say that he never said who he was, Curtis nodded his head before responding, "Right right, forgot about that. My name is Curtis Veen, I'm from Red Rock and an dragon healing apprentice here on Berk. " Curtis said as he made clear to Slag, "Now.. as to the chief, he should be around here somewhere.. " His voice trailed off as he looked around the docks before spotting the chief making their way over to them, "Ah. There he is. "

(Okay, Red's gonna be replying before I do -due to the chief part-)

[Halldor Frodison]

Halldor was down by the docks today. He had to tally up number of boats and supplies, so he could proceed to bother the right people about keeping supplies up. The coming winter and the storms that come with it would surely mean losing some stock, either from the devastating winds, ice or simply smashed to pieces in the awful weather. He was just discussing it with some of the men by a table outside, beside a glorious ship that had just recently been built. Carrier, his cobalt blue Monstrous Nightmare, was perched on one of the masts of the larger ships, calmy observing it's surroundings from his elevated viewpoint.

He didn't notice the new stranger on his island, but his dragon, and several others suddenly were alert, and vikings turned their heads as a new, unfamiliar voice bellowed, with a very different accent than Berk's. Halldor turned around, also alert. Who was this? He glanced at Carrier, who shuffled his wings. The notion of 'outsider' never really bothered him, as there were already outsiders scurrying around the place as it was. Only if they came threatening, would he bother. Halldor excused himself from the two VIkings he was talking to, and began to weave his way through the maze of boats and jetties to the man. Curtis had got there first, and seemed to be conversing with the man. He didn't seem that threatening, despite his physique.

Carrier saw them. He knew that his human, as the chief, really needed to make an excellent first impression. He knew it, because creating a dramatic entrance really makes the first impression, awe, fear, adoring fans... That was how Carrier saw it. He wanted it for his human, because he knew what it felt like, and felt almost sorry that humans didn't have any extraordinary power. He made sure to remind them of that. Stretching his wings, revealing those mottled-patterned wings, he launched himself from his perch, almost breaking the mast in the process. He shortly glided before flapping and landing behind the white fears. He raised his head and towered over all four of them, a low guttural growl rumbling in his chest, making the wooden slats around them vibrate from the bass. He then sudddenly roared at them, making sure that they saw his powerful jaw and shiny, sharp teeth. His shoulders shuddered slightly and he let a little bit of fire loose on his back and wings for extra effect. He was a show off, after all.

Carrier then laid his attention on the two Fears. "Move aside, Wyrms. The Chief is coming." He hissed. He gave an extra menacing growl at Silvia, who was a very delinquent dragon. They had had previous run-ins in the past and Carrier was now the only dragon that could get her to listen sometimes , through his means. Once they had cleared the path, he heard Halldor. He smirked at the two humans and then bowed his head slightly in respect and moved back onto another part of the jetty. This was Halldor's business, not his. He decided to stay to watch and look as intimidating as he could, so that this new outsider wouldn't have any funny ideas about displaying threatening behaviour.

Halldor arrived as the stranger finished unloading his cargo. He noticed the claymore, but thought nothing of it, for now. They were conversing, but ee had overheard his remarks to the stranger, and frankly Halldor found it rather rude. "And who made you Chief?" He said, walking along the dock to reach them. He shot him a glance before smiling at the newcomer. "Welcome to Berk, outsider! I am Halldor Frodison, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan tribe! I am delighted to make your acquaintance." Though the man had already delcared out loud where he came from, he still felt he had to ask. "So, from where do you hail from? What do you call yourself?"

[Deleted]

Keeping his hands upon the bag of gems and gold, Slag saw a great dragon fly up and swoop down behind Curtis Veen and his dragons. Slag was about to give his greetings to him but the great dragon had a look on its face and in its eyes that said that someone was coming and that was when Slag saw him. The Chief of the Vikings and the Dragon riders. He came in saying something to the dragon much in the same way that Curtis was talking to his dragons.

Slag wondered if this was part of the dragon training where one talks to their dragons or if everyone on Berk was slightly mad. But then the Chief spoke to him saying that his name was Halldor Frodison.

That was when Slag set down the bag of gold and jewels and gave a salute common to the native peoples of Muiyl, standing at attention with his fist at his chest as if he were plunging a knife into his own ribcage.

"Ho, Halldor Frodison, Chief of the Hairy Hooligan Tribe!" Slag shouted, "I am Slag. Slag MacLean.  Warrior and Blacksmith of the Clan MacLean from the island of Muiyl. I have come to learn the ways of dragons and dragon training. I've come baring this gift from my native homeland for you."

He let go of his stance and salute and picked up the back of gems and gold and held it out to the chief. He waited in the greatest anticipation of his life that the chief would say yes to him and that he would take the gift and him with open arms.

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Slity and Silvia looked over to Carrier as he made his way in front of Halldor, the comment of 'moving aside' seemed to unphased Slity for the most part but Silvia on the other hand seemed to just back right up. Slity glanced back to Silvia with his ears perked up out of the confusion of her actions. "What the hell is wrong with you? " He questioned.

"What do you mean.." She tilted her head, as if she didn't know what Slity was talking about.

"Pfft. Don't be like that. That's the first time I've seen you squirm away from something. " Slity snapped back.

Silvia looked to the ground and then back to Slity and shook her head at him, "Remind me later and I might tell you.

Curtis raised an eyebrow at Halldor as he walked on by. He shook his head at him and glanced over to Slag as he stood behind Halldor. Curits stood there standing straight, hands cupped behind his back and glancing between the chief and the newcomer. He didn't perk up because of Halldor, but because he just didn't want to look like he came from somewhere that was.. well, not proper if you wanted to use that terminology.

[Halldor Frodison]

The man announced himself loudly as Slag MacLean from the Isle of Muyil. Halldor enjoyed these loud - raucous sort of men. It was the kind of man who was proud of his homeland, and would do anything to defend it. The island was far away - he hadn't had the chance to visit the land yet, but if this connection could be successfully made, then perhaps an opporuntiy for him would arise in the future. The newcomer offered a bag, which Halldor gignerly accepted, peeking into the sack. He almost gasped in surprise at the wealth it contained, but he was the chief and has to keep his composure and authority in check. It was full of jewels and gold! He knew this would be useful, and the wealth this bag contained meant it really was a great gift, though the Berkians had no use for coin on their island. Perhaps Kenna may find some use with some of the gems, perhaps making jewellry in her free time. He smirked at the thought. She was more for tinkering with strange mechanisms, than fiddle with precious stones. It would definitely keep them in favour with the traders that passed by.

"I thank you for this great gift, Slag MacLean. Our hospitality is yours. Come, let us move your possessions to a safe place. We can talk more on the way up to the village." Halldor turned to Curtis and asked him to help with the bags, since he seemed so willing to make his mark on this new person. Along with the gift bag, he also moved to help the guest with some of his other items. Once everyone was ready, they began to make their way up the zig-zagging wooden platforms to the village, which loomed above them. It was late morning, so the they were still bathed in light, and some of the coloured houses up top were catching the rays in a pretty way. Halldor smiled. He wondered what it must look like for a newcomer to see all this. A lot of things were made with dragons in mind, so if this man did not train dragons in his homeland, then some of the things he would be looking at would seem alien to him.

Seeing as he really wasn't needed, Carrier shook himself, before flying off on his own. He snorted a puff of fire at the two White Fears as he flew low overhead. He was off to get some grub. Halldor didn't really mind. A Monstrous Nightmare would be intimidating for someone who didn't have much contact with dragons, after all.

Halldor thought about Slag. He said he had come here to train dragons? Most islands more or less have accepted dragons into their lives, one way or another. Though there were some islands, like Hysteria, that ceased their peace pact with dragons. He wondered what sort of situation the Island of Muiyl was with their dragons... Or maybe their training techniques didn't satisfy the young man. "How fare the dragons on the Island of Muyil?" Halldor asked after a moment, breaking the ambient noise of people working, seagulls, the waves and so forth. He decided to ask various questions, better now than too late. The Berkians were welcome to outsiders, but it did not always mean there was an instant trust. "So, what is your profession, may I ask?"

---

OOC: You can make Hally ask a few questions if you want

[Deleted]

The chief's questions were a little confusion to Slag.  He asked him how the dragons fared on the island of Muyil.  He thought about it and really there wasn't much to tell about it.  He followed the chief over the wooden planks of the pier and then up the zigzagging worn down dirt path to the village forgetting for a moment about the question when he saw the sights of all the dragons that were there.  Never before had he beheld such wondrous, magnificent and terrifying sights as this.  People and dragons living side by side in the same way that people and dogs did.  Although, Slag would keep that comparison to himself as he knew that some dragons were quite temperamental. 

Reminding himself of the question he answered the chief, "Da Dragons don't settle on our island.  That is one reason why I cam 'ere so tha I may learn and then teach it ta my people."

Giving more thought to the other question that the chief asked and thought that it was a little peculiar that he had asked that since Slag had already mentioned what he was but given that he was a guest, he figured that he would humor the chief.

"Back on Muyil," He said, "I was a blacksmith anna warrior.  Tho I sometimes did a little jewelcraftin'."

Slag was giddy with excitement.  He couldn't wait to train his own dragon.  He already had one in mind and he hoped that the chief would allow it. 

"What kinna dragons can one learn ta train 'here?"  He asked the chief.

[Curtis Veen & Slity / Silvia]

Curtis listened to the two as they started to talk, Halldor thanked the new comer for the gifts then asked what he did and how the dragons were where he came from, then of course Slag replied to the questions asked. When he heard Slag make comment about how the dragons didn't settle on his island that made Curtis raise his eyebrow as he looked over to Slag from Halldors other side.

"Well the reasons for the dragons not settling on your island could be for a number of reasons" Curtis started off and glanced over to see Halldors reaction to him talking, it didn't seem, to him, that he minded too much so he continued on but attempted to make it as brief as he could but detailed enough as well. "You're island may be like outcast island where there's not a lot of real vegetation around, the activities of your people may have also drove them off if they were there prior. Or simply the dragons may just have no use to live there because what they need isn't actually there." He nodded his head to the two of them to show that he was done speaking now. Having Halldor there was like having his father around, Curtis wasn't too bent on being a nuisance if he could avoid it.