Valerie smirks as she hears Karina modify the robe. Turning on her heel, she says, "Are you sureeeeeeeee...?" Once again, Karina finds herself firmly in a hug, this time pressed against a sturdy leather breastplate. "Kyahahaha! That's right, clothes are all about expressing yourself! Just hope that robe wasn't magical and the magic relies on the sleeves being on! Kyahahaha! Looks great, looks great!!!!"

Valerie has no idea if magical items work like that, nor does she care.

She then notes Karina's bag, realizes she needs some kind of pack for provisions as well, and starts looking for a bag and various provisions to fit in it.

"I don't want a backpack, they're always super awkward with quivers... a sidebag would work great..."

Eventually, she finds a satchel with a long strap which can be easily slung over her shoulder and removed when she wants to start shooting.

<<Valerie procures a traveler's satchel>>

She then wanders around the armory, finding various survival supplies; a few blankets, extra foods that won't go bad, flint and steel... the basics for someone used to sleeping under the stars.

<<Valerie procures survival supplies>>

"Sure thing." Tyr holds the light for Leo, following the Wand's instructions as best he can. "So, what are you making, out of curiosity?"

"Cool. See ya later," Richter replies as Tyr heads off to help Leo. Going back to searching through the weapon racks, Richter pulls out a short sword, suitable for someone of his skill and ability. After that he grabs a backpack and starts stuffing it with various things. A blanket and bedroll. Flint and Steel. He doesn't get any food, but he DOES get a bait and tackle box, string and hooks, a small knife for skinning and cleaning and tripwires for live animal traps. Looking around one last time, he spots a map of the region pinned to the wall. Going over to it, he quickly takes it down and folds it up to put in his bag.

"This."

Leo snaps the pieces together, and the sturdy bit of metal, with a point at the end, is inserted into a drilled hole in the face of the larger hammer, leaving the entire face connected to its center by a piston, and with a large spike on that end as well.

That done, he nods to Tyr, and walks off to select some medium weight armor, and gather up a kit of random bits of machinery and metal for later work.

Medium Armor
Piston Spike Hammer.
Upgrade Kit

Tyr returns Leo's nod, then goes to finish picking out his armor. He, like several of the others, gets a backpack full of basic travel supplies as well - rope, bedroll, whetstone, torches, and so on, enough to get them through the caves but not weigh him down too much.

Karina, post glompage, walks about the room and gathers up the best looking non-perishable foods. Apples, Waters, Nuts, anything that can fulfill nutritional requirements and stuffs as much of it as she can in her backpack.

At the lack of response, Mat just shrugs his shoulders, and places the telescope in his coat pocket, before going through his supplies one last time to make sure everything is present. Satisfied, he closes the backpack up, and slings it across his shoulders, testing the weight. "Bit heavier than I'd like," he says, slightly strained, "But I think I can get used to it." He approaches Elder Brion and begins to speak. "Just confirming for the inventory, I'm taking this ax, this hauberk, and all the usual supplies. Plus one telescope." He finishes, producing the object with a flourish and spinning it around between his fingers.

<<Mat has selected the Woodcutters Ax as a weapon>>
<<Mat has selected the Chain-mail Hauberk as armor>>
<<Matt has selected the Adventurer's Kit + Collapsible Telescope as secondary items>>

Mat's reaction to the arrow firing, and the slapping is nothing more than a chuckle, but he perks up at the mention of fending off the gryphon. "So, you're the fellow that kept my father from losing all his crops! Well, one of the fellows." Mat approaches Tyr, and nods his head. "I was wondering who to thank. I wasn't exactly let out of the house when that business was occurring. I suppose that puts me in your debt, doesn't it?" The straight expression on his face makes it difficult to determine just how serious the question is. Mat stretches out his hand to Tyr, and smiles, ever so slightly. "Mathias Sauveterre."

Choices:

Karina: brass knuckled gloves, martial artist outfit, backpack with rations
Mat: axe, hauberk, adventurer's Kit + telescope
Leo: piston spike hammer, scale mail, upgrade Kit
Richter: short sword, leather armor, basic survival sundries
Valerie: bow w/ quiver full of arrows, archer's leather beastplate, traveler's satchel w/ basic survival sundries
Tyr: halberd, suit of chainmail, basic travel supplies

(if incorrect, just bug me in Skype)

After some time puttering around in the armory, everyone makes their selections (or, in one case, creates a selection). Brion comes back in just as everyone finishes up. "Time's up. Snag any last minute items you want to take, and get out."

The Elder taps his foot impatiently as everyone files out, then closes the door behind him. "Alright, attention! The Trial is very, very simple. About a day's walk east of here, there is a cave - there's a fairly well-worn trail that takes you there, so you'll be hard pressed to get lost on the way. Just follow the trail. Once you get to the cave..." Momentarily, the Elder pauses, his eyes flickering in memory. "All you have to do is walk to the back of the cave. That's it. There will be a pedestal in the back. Place your hand on the pedestal. Then walk back out."

Somehow, you get the rather strong feeling that the Elder isn't telling you everything - especially considering the expressions you've seen on people's faces after they've come back from/remember their first Trial - but you know from experience that no one talks about exactly what happened to them during their first Trial.

"Now, off you go. Trail's over that way."

As everyone files off on their way, the Elder calls out. "Be wary on your way - the path sometimes nearly vanishes. There are some animals to be wary of - wolves, bears, the odd mountain lion - most likely won't bother a travelling party like yours. There are also rarer encounters of monsters... I know one of you at least has had a run-in with a gryphon before. There are a few tribes of hobs out there as well. When night falls, make camp..." For a moment, Brion's eyes glimmer with wyldfire. "For the night is dark, and full of terrors."

"Go! You leave here as boys, and girls. When you come back, you will take your place as men, and women."

(You've got a bit of time for inter-character roleplay as you travel along the path before the first encounter)

------------

After everyone has left, Brion walks back into the silence of the armory, closing the door behind him. He starts grumbling under his breath as he straightens and places all of the items not taken back to their normal place. "Poor kids. No idea what they're getting into." He fingers a small scar on his forearm for a moment, before shaking his head and continuing his work.

*Cla-clat-clatter!*

He spins around to see what the noise is... but nothing seems to be moving. And yet...

The door is open.

Karina takes her proper place walking behind Valerie, using her as a shyness shield as per the normal. Every now and then her eyes wander, trying to take in the rest of the group taking the trail but a tiny squeak and blush and her eyes snap back to Valerie's quiver... such a nice quiver, nothing embarrassing there, full of arrows and pretty feathers.

"Just as motivating as it was when I said it." Mat murmurs to himself, pushed out of the door by the impatient Elder before getting a chance to talk to Tyr. Mat readjusts his pack, and starts out on the trail, naturally stepping to the front of the pack with his long strides. After a scant few moments of silence, he turns around, and begins walking in reverse, facing the rest of the group behind him. "So everyone, what exactly do you think the trials will entail?" A mischievous smile is on his face as he continues to step backwards in an odd, off-rhythm. "Monsters? Traps? Our old friends or parents? Or," He pauses for a moment, "Do you think we'll meet up with one of our oh so prodigious leaders, eager to judge our every move? Maybe even Death herself watching? It would be very fitting. Death in a cave." He places a finger on his chin and looks skyward. "It would certainly explain that look in Brion's eye, wouldn't you say?" He drops the finger and rests his hand on the head of his new ax. "Don't leave me to all the talking. What do you think Richtor? Lacek? Seilei? Leo?" He pauses for a moment then tilts his head slightly to the side, looking just past Valerie. "What about you Karina? What do you think we'll find in the cave?"

Karina turns crimson at the use of her name directly at her, "I... um... I dunno... but... well...." She's extremely flustered and seemingly very entertained some something on her shoes. Something about Mat's off-rhythm walking reminds her something and she manages to get a response out, "...well... in my experience... caves are usually homes for strange old men with metal eyeballs."

"Is that so?" Mat says, still grinning. "Friendly strange old men with metal eyeballs, antagonistic strange old men with metal eyeballs, or just plain strange old men with metal eyeballs? And how strange? Foreign strange? Chaotic strange? Valerie strange? Leo strange? Me strange?" Mat does a little hop, which looks off on his still backwards path, and the grin lessens just a little bit. "You ought to be much more specific when talking about any kind of strange. After all, look at the times we live in! Look at the world we inhabit. Possibly about to go to war with a group of people who've never heard of what it is we set out here to do today, always advancing in magic and technology, ever growing and changing as a people." Mat stops for a moment and takes a deep breath of the air around him, letting out a sigh of relief and excitement. "Something big is going to happen soon. You can smell it in the air." He chuckles a bit to himself, before returning to his off-beat backwards walk. "There I go, rambling again. Can't help it I guess. Exciting business. Looking forwards to the end, and the beginning. All starting with a single solitary ste-" Mat trips on his own feet and lands on his rump with a loud thud. "Guess the universe wants me to stop babbling." He says with a slight groan as he gets back on his feet, and begins to walk once more. Still backwards, but with more evenly paced, and much slower, smaller steps.

Tyr chuckles, and asks "you OK there? Careful, you don't want to face destiny with a bloody nose and bruised shins if you can help it." He walks along for a bit more, then says "still, if I had to venture a guess, I'd say a series of challenges to test our various skills - locks to be picked, obstacles to be destroyed, traps to be avoided. Probably filled with something dangerous but not too deadly, like giant ants or magically-warped scorpions. At the end, a final challenge that must be defeated, snuck past, or persuaded, depending on your caste." He shrugs, and says "whatever it is, it can't be too outrageous. Most of the people who go in have no intention of fighting a day in their lives, and they end up passing."

He then angles his walk a bit, so he ends up closer to Alicia, and says "by the way, do I recognize you? It's been a while, but I swear we both drilled under Captain Grumont together for a while."

Bored and having nothing better to do, Richter sidles on up to the other group of people taking the trial, the ones that showed up on time. Thinking a moment on who best to speak to, he decides to talk to the blonde acolyte girl. "Hey, my name is Richter! I don't think I've seen you around town before, miss..." Richter leaves off, indicating she introduce herself.

Valerie actually smiles as Mat approaches Karina. Patting the shy girl on the back encouragingly, she looks around the group for someone else to talk to. Spying the brawny but short Jaen, she chuckles, then runs up from behind and taps him on the shoulder.

"Hey! Stumpy!" She is pretty sure she hasn't met him before. Well, if she has, she probably doesn't remember anyway; she meets lots of people in bars that she doesn't remember. "Hey, you look like you can hold your liquor! Wanna join Richter, Karina and I after this at the bar to celebrate our confirmation?"

The thought that she might fail has never even crossed her mind.