(visit this thread for Pipa's backstory) (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=234676.msg11940509#msg11940509)<br/><br/>Pipa had been struggling to clear the fog from her head that morning, when she woke from an hour’s sleep in the cool predawn light and the deep soft bed of her mentor, Edmund Fairweather. The night before had been taxing on her mind and body, and now everything felt like a half dream as she sipped the hot tea he had brought when he had roused her from her short rest.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://static2.comicvine.com/uploads/scale_medium/0/3564/870062-08_07_00_a.png)</div>“You should go to your Father's and ready yourself for your journey,” he advised her, as he handed her a book wrapped in a waxed, protective bit of canvass.<br/><br/>“It's a copy of<em>The Geomancers’ Compendium</em>.  It's what you would have studied next year if you weren't-” he sighed, too aware of the dangers she would face, unwilling to finish his thought in front of her now, when she needed courage.<br/><br/>“Well, uh, if you were continuing your studies,” his own tiredness failed to hide his concern for the mortal dangers that awaited his student, not just as a contestant in a twisted competition that held the world in sway, but as an earnest young woman facing a daunting task.<br/><br/>He gave her a wan smile before placing his hand gently against her cheek and giving her a soft farewell kiss. Pipa felt fresh alertness and energy infuse her under his touch as he used his dwindling energy to magically bolster her body and spirits.<br/><br/>When  he pulled away he looked almost fully spent.<br/><br/>“Thank you for that, and for everything.”<br/><br/>“Get a move on now, Truebridge,” he admonished her as he cleared away her empty cup. “Fawn will be here to see to my, erm, breakfast, soon. I will recover and be there to see you off in a couple hours.”<br/><br/>---<br/><br/>At home in her loft room, Pipa dressed in the new golden yellow tunic she had been gifted by her father. It was richly embroidered along the hem and sleeves with blue geometric patterns. She pulled on her clean, brown canvas trousers, her favorite pair with the many field pockets for rock and ore samples. She braided her hair back with a leather cord, strung at random intervals with polished semiprecious stones that shone out, tiny points of color in her dark mane. She still looked more like a resident of a mining colony than some polished virginal sacrifice, but felt very fine.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://orig15.deviantart.net/4622/f/2016/099/1/d/mee12_by_ulben-d9y9un8.jpg)</div>She was lacing up her sturdy, brown boots when her father, Geno Truebridge, called up from the hall. Grabbing her light pack, she took a deep breath and went to join him for the short walk to the main gate.<br/><br/>Her father was a man of very few words, but he squeezed her shoulder affectionately as they left their home together.<br/><br/>“We will all be honoured by your service,” he told her, his gravelly voiced choked with uncharacteristic emotion as the crowd forming at the gate came into view.  Other residents of Oreford were also in the streets, moving toward the same destination. They smiled at Pipa and Geno, but stayed a respectful distance from them, allowing them a few more moments together before she left them behind her, to save Eden, or herself, or to be lost in the attempt.<br/><br/>Too soon they reached the gathering. Many wanted to hug or touch Pipa as she moved with her father toward the front of the crowd where many heads turned to look down the wide,stony road that approached Oreford  from the lowlands. Beyond the Corporation, the track split, one direction climbed higher, past the foothills’ edge and into truly mountainous terrain; the other continued on to more settlements and crossroads, to Tinchea Valley, and the Mage’s Tower.<br/><br/>Pipa returned the embraces of her settlement, giving short, fond goodbyes. Nearly through the crush, she felt a small hand grab her forearm, sending an instant tingle down her spine.<br/><br/>“Fawn!” she exclaimed, happy to find her former classmate and apprentice to Edmund Fairweather.<br/><br/>Fawn wrapped her arms around the tall, muscular contestant in an ardent hug, before surprising her by popping up onto her toes for a deep kiss that had more than a few in the crowd whistling and laughing. When she pulled  away Pipa was breathless and blushing, her hands falling from the petite blonde’s shoulders to her waist. The quarter-orc’s long, thin fingers particularly encircling her hips.<br/><br/>“You're blushing again, Pipa,” Fawn teased.<br/><br/>Pipa only smiled, one of her protruding lower incisors gleamed for a moment and her eyes locked with Fawn’s, bold blue and full of intention and well wishes.<br/><br/><div class="floatright">(http://content.latest-hairstyles.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/medium-blonde-angled-bob-front-view.jpg)</div>Beyond them, Edmund Fairweather interrupted, “Ladies, it’s time.”<br/><br/>He gestured toward the place Pipa was to take between himself and her father with a slight smile.  He looked a little tired, but alert and strong. The escort’s wagons were coming into view.<br/><br/>Pipa released Fawn, assured of the young woman's hopes and affection for her. She took her place and stood shoulders squared and determined. She could feel her father's radiating pride to her side.<br/><br/>Pipa was disgusted by the criminal and averted her gaze after his pitiful plea for death. She shook Lady Ansel’s hand firmly and thanked her for her assurances of protection.<br/><br/><strong>"Take a moment," she said gesturing to the town, "to say goodbye to your people.  For the next time they will see you it will be on the Æthertube a little over a year from now, and if the gods will it, again in person after that." She turned and addressed the whole community in a loud boisterous voice then, "When this brave contestant either escapes the dungeon, or finally defeats it!"</strong><br/><br/>Pipa waved to the cheering crowd before wrapping her arms around her father, the half-orc returned her embrace with a loving,  awkward hug of his own. “You're strong,” he grumbled in her ear.<br/><br/>She swelled with gladness at his high praise and turned toward the caravan, and made him even more impressed with her spirit as she walked to her coach without a hint a trepidation.<br/><br/>Once inside and seated upon the unfamiliar, plush velvet she scarcely avoided staring at the intensely beautiful, scarred woman.<br/><br/><strong>"Pipa?" she asked.  "Nice to meet you, I'm Eren." Then almost as if she were ashamed she turned her head to the side, as if hiding her scar, "I know, but I'm told that the asshole who gave this to me weaved a bit of dark curse into it.  I'm hoping the clerics of Cyril can remove it."</strong><br/><br/>“It is good to meet you, Eren,” she said, feeling suddenly dumb and unsure of how to make the woman more comfortable. Pipa averted her gaze and dug in her pack for<em>The Geomancers’ Compendium</em>as they started to roll forward. Willing to spend the journey in quiet study if it made Eren more comfortable.<br/><br/>“Do you know anything else about the curse?” she asked as she pushed back the curtains from her window as far as they would go, providing a view of the slowly changing scenery and sunlight.