In the morning, you and Brighid eat together then set out for a training field just outside the village. She is wearing her full suit of Sunsteel mail armor, but instead of her glaive she just requisitions a weighted and padded replica from a storage shed at the edge of the field. She hands you a padded surcoat to wear over your clothes, although of course there are no pants suitable for you to wear, so she promises to only hit you above the waist and below the neck. She has you practice using your Flame Jet spell on her as she attacks you; it turns out that between the fire resistance from her Fireheart trait, her ranks in Fire Magic, her Stoke the Flames Ability, and the Sunsteel armor, as long as you strike her in an armored spot she is immune to fire damage. It’s enough for her to feel a little heat, like warm sunlight, but not enough to cause her damage unless you hit an area not covered by her armor.
At first you don’t even have time to complete the spell cast before the Brighid's practice polearm slams into your chest. She tells you gruffly that if you plan to just stand around and cast your spell, she'll just beat you so black and blue that you can't go to Bannagh Macht to get yourself killed. Her words sting, but you know she is saying it out of concern for you. Eventually you learn to dodge some of Brighid’s strikes and cast through the pain on others. By the time you take a break at noon, you have made some progress.
Congratulations! You have reached level 1 in Evasion. You are now Unskilled in Evasion.
Congratulations! You have reached levels 5 and 6 in Light Armor. You are now a Novice in Light Armor; your worn light armor gains +1 physical protection.
Congratulations! You have reached levels 6 and 7 in Fire Magic.
You have gained 50 experience for reaching Novice rank in Light Armor.
After eating a quick lunch up on a hillside, cuddling close to each other and feeding each other finger foods, you return to the practice field. This time, Brighid asks you a question that has you mentally kicking yourself: “Why do you only cast with one hand? The gestures for Flame Jet only need one hand to complete, so you can alternate casting it with either hand to keep up a continuous attack or even cast it with both hands at the exact same time.” The extra Concentration to cast it twice at the same time trips you up more than a little, but after getting several hard pokes to the ribs you begin to pick up the knack. Before the sun sets, you are able to simultaneously twist your body enough to turn Brighid’s easygoing thrusts into glancing blows and pass twin streams of flame along her armored flank, which she barely even notices but would grievously wound a Boar Manikin like the one you fought. You wind up just short of Initiate rank in Fire Magic when Brighid calls an end to training for the night. You try and wheedle her into just another few minutes to get your next Rank and hopefully a new Spell, but she reminds you of the Council meeting that night and you concede defeat gracefully.
Congratulations! You have reached levels 2 and 3 in Evasion.
Congratulations! You have reached level 7 in Light Armor.
Congratulations! You have reached level 8 and 9 in Fire Magic.
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The Council meeting is crowded; as the issue affects the entire tribe, it is an open session and every Starchaser is welcome to listen to the arguments, although only the Councillors, Brighid as the appealing party, and yourself as Brighid’s Companion are permitted to address the Council. Brighid states her case eloquently, and speaks more to the crowd than the Council. Knowing that the vote is mostly a formality allows her to spend her time firing up the spectators, gradually influencing them to her point of view then firing them up. Eilwen is the only Councillor who speaks against the issue, but her argument is short and perfunctory and clearly a token protest. The vote ends up going 4 ‘Yea’ and 1 ‘Nay’ for attacking Bannagh Macht, and Ailis and Fionn are given the tasks of planning and preparing the attack ****. Fionn asks you to meet him the next afternoon to discuss what you learned of the city and its monsters in more detail.
After the meeting, you and Brighid have a light dinner and a quick romp in the hay, then go to sleep.
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