Aski has called his newest subject, the knight Jarik, into his living room for an examination. He's put it off for a considerable time until the fox became comfortable in his household. But today, Aski has decided that it can be put off no longer. He has taken out all his examination supplies, his sketchbook, and several diagrams.

Jarik takes a seat on the old couch. "Okay, I'm here. What would you like to know about me?" He asks.

Jarik smiles gently. "I'm afraid I'm not all that interesting."

Aski excitedly lines up several odd looking devices. He places his sketchpad in his lap and licks the tip of his pencil. "Well, for starters, tell me about yourself and where you're from. And how you came to Sinai." He begins scribbling on his pad.

Jarik sits back, "For starters? That will take quite a bit of time in itself." He takes a breath, "I was born on a small world called Crydon about 20 or so years ago. I grew up on one of the few villages of my race on Crydon. We weren't very numerous. For about sixteen years I helped my family run the inn that had been in our family for three generations. After my father died when I was ten, I took over helping raise my little sister too."

Aski rubs his nose. "Were all the beings on this world of Crydon vulpines?"

Jarik shakes his head, "No. We were a sparse race. There were maybe five total villages of my race on the world I knew of."

The raccoon scribbles something on his pad. "Really? Why so few? Was there a plague? Were you the only sentient beings on the whole world?"

Jarik chuckles quietly, "No. My race didn't reproduce much. We kept a rather small populace. There were other races that were much more widespread. The Lupines and felines controlled much of the land."

"I see." Aski says. He places his sketchbook upon his lap and begins looking at the row of strange little items lined up on the table in front of him. "So how did you come to be on Sinai from this land of Crydon?"

Jarik says, "Well, that's still of a bit of mystery. I was given a small amulet that allowed me to open up gates to worlds I had a reference point to. My last one failed and I ended up here. The amulet was destroyed in the accident. All I had with me was my cloths and my sword."

"Remarkable! Do you have the amulet with you? I would love to examine it." the raccoon says gleefully.

Jarik shakes his head, "I gave it to a Vykarin on the wastes where I arrived as a gift for their hospitality. It wasn't much. A small blue stone on a light golden chain."

Jarik sighs, "This world stole much of what I could do. I've also lost my ability with magic."

"Vykarins? Interesting. They must not have known it was magical." Aski says, gesturing with something that looks a little bit like a hammer with a hollowed out end. "The Vykarins dislike magic."

Jarik says, "It wasn't magical anymore."

The raccoon rises from his seat and seats himself next to the fox. "Please continue, er… I'd like to examine the insides of your ear."

Jarik raises an eyebrow, "What exactly would you like to know? I've been through quite a bit."

"Oh… anything at all. Tell me about your magic." He pokes the end of the instrument into the fox's ear and looks closely. "My apologies if this is uncomfortable… let's see… no blockage. Looks normal."

Jarik's ear twitches, "I wasn't ever very powerful with magic. I could use to heal injuries on other people, induce a calming area around myself. It would be rather draining on me. I was told it was because it took part of my life-force to do it."

Jarik tightens a fist and closes his eyes. His brow furrows a bit and a small blue spark of energy travels across his fist. "Ergh." He winces, "It's painful to even try and draw upon it here."

Aski removes the 'hammer' quickly. "You shouldn't do it then. Perhaps in time I can help arrange for you to get some schooling in the college Esoterica? I have some friends there."

Jarik hms, "Possibly. I'd like to see the college at some point." He sighs, "So many things to do."

The Rath'ani scholar wipes his instrument up and fetches a stethoscope. "Take off your shirt please. Hmm… so many things to do you say? Such as?"

Jarik pulls his shirt off over his head. "Well, this land has many troubles. I can't just stand by and let people suffer. Then there are my friends in Himar I need to get back to. Plus I need to finish investigating the assassination at the Temple."

"First ones! You have quite a collection of scars!" Aski remarks, tracing a larger one with his hand. He shrugs and places the stethoscope against the fox's back. "Inhale please… Assassination?"

Jarik takes a deep breath, "I've seen many battles, I suppose. I've been close to death a few times. Yes, the assassination of the Astromancer. I think that was his title. I've got suspicions it was contracted by someone on the inside. I spent a few months at the temple. I was there when it happened."

Aski presses the stethoscope into Jarik's chest. "Breathe normally now. Who would want to depose the astromancer? And why?"

Jarik resumes his normal breathing, "Good question. That I don't know."

Jarik says, "My race has a terrible problem with curiosity, I'm afraid. It's gotten me in trouble many times."

The raccoon listens to the fox's heartbeat. "I mean… the Astromancer is a very powerful person in the temple, but… er… if someone was going to assassinate for power, they would get someone at bridge level. the role of Astromancer is one of the more unique ones of the temple if I understand it all correctly."

Jarik nods slightly. "All I have are suspicions, like I said. I'd like to know what did happen, though. I'd like a chance to show the world what a worm one of the inquisitors is, too."

"You must dislike the temple." Aski remarks as he withdraws the stethoscope. He seats himself back into the chair. "Please turn around so I may draw your back." He clears his throat. "I hear you visited Golgatha… what did you think if it?"

Jarik turns and faces away from the raccoon. "They are as corrupt as most of the temple. While they are highly trained, they do not think for themselves. Nor do they have any compassion for people."

"That is rather harsh," Aski remarks as he begins to scribble. "The temple has funded much research for myself. And the knights Templar have kept Rephidim from going to war many times."

Jarik shrugs, "Not all are corrupt. But, some are. The simple fact that slavery is condoned on this world is enough to enrage me."

"Our system is not perfect, I agree. But it is the one we have found works the best. A great many of our problems have only begun within the past year. All the changes in the temple, the threat of war with the Eee." The raccoon smiles. "Perhaps you picked a bad time to visit our world."

Jarik looks over his shoulder, "If I had the choice I'd return home. This world hasn't greeted me with much kindness."

"Sinai is not a world of kindness, no. But for us… it is all we know." Aski taps his pencil thoughtfully against his cheek. "A bird does not understand how to swim afterall."

Jarik nods, "No, it doesn't. I have a fundamentally different view of life and behavior of governments. Unfortunately, it conflicts with this place."

Aski rests his pad on his lap. "You cannot fight an entire world, Jarik. Is that why you joined the band of fighters in Himar? To try and improve the world a small bit?"

Jarik smiles slightly, "In a way, I do fight the entire world." He turns to face Aski, "If I can change things for just one person… If one person sees that a difference can be made, even if it's small, I've succeeded. It's like a rockslide. It starts with a pebble, which dislodges a few more stones, which in turn dislodges even more. I may not be able to change the world, but my actions may start a gradual change that is unexpected. I probably won't live to see it, but I have to try."

"You have already made quite a few enemies." The Rath'ani remarks. "Er… I couldn't help but notice the symbol carved into your back… "

Jarik chuckles to himself, "I'm sure to make many more." He shrugs, "I'm already scarred beyond hope of repair. What they do to me doesn't matter anymore." He pauses, "Besides, I'm not important. I want people to see the actions before the person. Whether I'm remembered or not is irrelevant." He frowns slightly, "Considering the one person I cared for is dead and I was sold into slavery by my own species, what I look like is of no importance to me."

The raccoon arches an eyebrow. "Sold by your own species? I thought you were captured by the temple?"

Jarik nods, "How do you think they knew I was back in town? Only a few people knew I was back, and they were my species."

Aski resumes drawing. "I take it there was a Templar battalion or somesuch waiting for you when you arrived?"

Jarik says, "No. I was lead into the temple under guise of sneaking in. My 'guide' lured me into a dark area and I was pushed from behind into a cell. "

"Ah." The scholar frowns a bit. "It was obviously a setup. It is impossible to 'sneak' into the temple."

Jarik nods, "As I've learned recently."

"So tell me more about your experiences in Rephidim." He places the sketchpad back down and reaches for a magnifying glass and a tongue depressor.

Jarik says, "Not all have been bad. I met lady Azhtar here, as well as Vielanika. Both were kind. I ran into a thief who stole my sword. He isn't a terrible fellow, just someone who's had an extremely rough life. I haven't seen Vielanika in ages and Azhtar is dead now."

Jarik says, "Recently I met old friends from another world I visited for a time. Zephyr Blackpaw, Queen Arwyn, and Lady Envoy. It was good to catch up on old times and past experiences."

"Ah yes… Envoy." Aski remarks. "I believe she was one of the people bidding upon you at the auction. I did not make the connection until later."

Jarik chuckles, "Envoy is interesting. The time she lost her hand and regenerated it. Yow."

Jarik says, "She has been a good friend."

Aski says nothing for a few moments. Finally he tilts a oil lamp closer and returns to his seat next to the fox. "I would like to examine your eyes and teeth now." He holds out his glass and gently tilts the fox's head so that he doesn't accidentally angle and magnified light into it.

Jarik nods slightly to Aski. "Just be careful around my eyes… "

"I've done this many times before, do not worry yourself." The raccoon peers into each eye in turn, humming to himself and then sets the glass down. He holds out the tongue depressor. "Now for your teeth?"

Jarik opens his jaw wide revealing white, sharp, canines. All of his forty-two teeth are in place.

Aski pokes around in the fox's mouth, humming even more. "Very good. Amazing… " He removes the depressor. "It never ceases to amaze me how so many species happen to look alike on other worlds."

Jarik closes his mouth, "Seriously? There are those here with similar biological structure outside of appearance?"

"You seem to resemble one of the foxes of Sinai rather closely." The raccoon remarks.

Jarik blinks, "I didn't realize there was a native group of vulpines here. I thought all were exiles from one place or another."

Aski puts the piece of wood away. "Much of what I know of exiles is just rumor. We have not until recently had many come to here. And there are so many rumors about races that could be descended from exiles and such."

Jarik mms and nods, "I haven't seen many vulpines about. Do they isolate themselves?"

"A bit. Although most vulpines avoid Rephidim." the scholar says. "That dratted fox flushing game and all. Hmm… there are also the Zerda. A very rare race of very large eared vulpines."

Jarik' twitches his ears, "Fox flushing? No, I'd rather not know. Is there anything else you'd like to know about me?" He thinks, "Oh, could you teach me Savanite sign? It's something I do need to learn."

"Sava-… er… I'm sorry. But I only know the basics of that. Perhaps I can teach you that much though." The raccoon returns once again to his seat in the chair. "You may put your shirt back on. Oh yes! The sword… I wished to ask you about that as well. Tell me about it?"

Jarik pulls his shirt back on and tucks it in neatly, "What would you like to know about it? It's origin is only a legend. It's been part of my order of knights since their beginning."

Aski says, "Well, I have heard that it is magical. How is this so?"

Jarik nods, "It is magical. It's actually a magical construct. It was not forged, but created from magic. It was a gift to the founder of my order when he rescued a dragon from death. The sword is useless in the hands of those without magical ability. In the grasp of anyone with that ability, it becomes quite powerful. It amplifies the bearers magical ability is some shape or form. In my case, the sword takes on the ability of being unbreakable. The sword feeds on the bearers energy. I have to be careful, it can wear me out quite rapidly."

Jarik says, "The original purpose of the weapon isn't known, to be honest."

"Very interesting. I had originally thought that perhaps it was a symbiont of somesort." The raccoon comments.

Jarik says, "That's possible. I'm not sure how it taps the bearers energy. It may have an intelligence, it may not. That's something I'd like to learn. When I first took possession of it, I… Not sure how to put it… I just knew how to use it. I had some sort of link to it."

Aski smiles. "Ah… how very interesting." He scribbles down a few things, and then places the pad at his feet. "Well, I believe I am done for now. I have much to go over. thank you for your cooperation, Jarik."

Jarik smiles and nods slightly, "It was my pleasure. I hope I've been a good representative of my species. Now, I should probably go practice and rest. I don't want my skills to deteriorate." He stands, "Good eve to you, Aski."

The raccoon waves a hand and gleefully begins going over his notes.