Deus Ex Machinarium

The following morning was promising, that the following day would be warm and bivy, at least as early spring at the foothills of Soutwals could be expected to be. The air was brisk, the Bivos was peeking from below the mountains on the horizon and through the dense forests south of Katzburg. The trees were still not eager to sprout any greenery, save for a few pines still having needles from previous years.

Their cart was slowly creaking forward on the southbound tract out of Katzburg. They left the town at dusk, thankfully not being bothered by anyone who was not Anh. Despite needing the least rest, possibly even being able to skip sleep altogether, he woke up in a foul state, which he blamed on the bed not being soft enough, thus interrupting his nightly meditation.

Brandt took the responsibilities of the driver over the entire trip. In tanai’s assessment such ought not take more than a day or two. Anh made himself a thick, soft recliner out of a bale of hay. He positioned himself strategically next to their, most importantly, his own, luggage. Determined to at least attempt to rest and maybe even work a little, instead of keeping pace with the cart on his own.

Besides, he deserved a good rest, after the disaster at the inn..

When they left Katzburg he floated onto the cart and laid comfortably in his soft vessel, hidden in the wooden ‘fort’ of the cart’s sidewalls, and engrossed himself in the study of the maps provided earlier by Brandt. Every once in a while he made notes on the topic of possible ink, color choices, and techniques used by the geographer making them.

His hoomin companion seemed mostly stiff on the driver’s bench and bored out of his mind. Albeit Anh considered that to be a charitable interpretation. It might have been that Brandt was just an expressionless gloom with no internal dialogue and a narrowly defined direction toward an abstract goal. But surely, no hoomin could ever become such, thus it must have been boredom ailing his companion.

-* Anh *- Birdekk broke the dominant’s session of admiring the penwork of the sheet of paper -* I made a few simulations, and I think we should add brushing of teeth to our morning routine.*

-* How so?*

-* Well. We are expected to live for another sixty-three and three-quarters of a year. Tow, please remind me when tanai, on average, starts to need dental aids *

-* Forty-seven and a third of a year of age. So forty-five percent of estimated lifespan * - dutifully responded Tow

-* Anh, how old do you think Brandt is? *- Upon noticing this request Anh took a glance at the hoomin.

-* I don’t know. About thirty-five-ish *- said Anh, feeling unsure of his answer

-* From what we observed, he is about it. Greoo, what is his social standing? *

-* Quite high, obviously. He commands respect and is clearly very wealthy. *

-* Unless he came to his wealth by inheritance, it took him quite a while to get to where he is. *

-* He does not seem like a child of a noble. *- added Greoo - * He is not spoiled or focused on getting his dose of genital pleasures. I mean, if he were, we would not be here.*

-* My point exactly * - said Birdekk -* He looks thirty, but, judging from his presence and social standing, is older than that. I took a few peeks at his teeth. He seems to have all of them. Well, at least those I could notice. While hoomin at his age tends to miss at least half. He is doing something right. *

-* That is an unfounded assertion * - chimed in Thernohh -* For all we know, he might be one of the lucky ones, that get to keep their teeth *

-* Oh, come on! It is not ‘unfounded’. *- Birdekk seemed a touch offended -* I am working here with limited access to the information and extrapolating from that. *

-* All right, all right *- replied Thernohh -* It is just domme who ought to be aware of you thinking to conclusions. *

-* Fine. At least, consider this to be an idea worth a deeper analysis. *

-* This I can concur * - added Tow -* it is an interesting avenue for research. Do you think that Mr Zerster would be willing to become a subject? *

Anh took another gaze at the hoomin. Who was still holding the reins and gazing forward and resembling a statue.

-* Not bloody likely!* - exclaimed the kinfolk in unison.

-* On an unrelated subject *- Tow took over the conversation -* I swore, I knew those red map markings from somewhere. *

-* Go on *

-* I had to meditate over this, as it was a long time ago. But, we read a book, still on Tanais. I think it was “Carta Margaardia IVE”, but I would have to confirm. Thick book. Good read *

-* Cut the chase, please * - scoffed Thernohh

-* I’m getting there. Anyways, the book described methods that were going to be employed in the Maargardian military from 1382. *

-* They actually set a standard? I’m impressed. *

-* So was I. Anyhow, it outlined methods, colors, and even signage to use. Black is the basic, and red was to be used to denote areas in the interest of Ordo Cvrsore. Where did Brandt get these maps from? *

-* We don’t know. But considering how he carries himself *- Thernohh noted sarcastically -* I would not be surprised if he took them off a freshly murdered Ordos official. *

-* Oh, come on! *- protested Birdekk -*He is not that bad!*

-* Well, we’ve seen him lie through his full complement of teeth at least once. With ease, I might add *

-* You mean that situation with Ksintasxii? *

-* Enough about our employer! * - Anh cut the conversation short - * Tow, please continue about mapping. *

-* Gladly. Maps follow the guidelines almost exactly, which was why they seemed so familiar. Which also makes me think they might be coming from the Katzburg office of Ordo Cvrsore. Which is, also, also, why these maps are so good. *

-* They might want their things back. * - said worried Birdekk

-* Ordo Cvrsore you say? So they are, or were, or are planning to, dig for something there. * - commented Thernohh - * which also implies, there being something precursorial located there, thus we are getting somewhere with our hypothesis on the coordinate system. *

On Tanais it is said that the chatter in a tanai’s head subsides in two cases. Which is when they die or when they are startled by a discovery they just made. It was certainly the former at this moment. Anh laid deeper into his pile of hay and was staring at the road slowly unrolling in front of him. The cart’s wheels were squeaking silently. Birds were chirping in the dense woods of the southern Maargard, on this brisk morning. The Bivos was peeking through and the kinfolk of five were pondering the importance of potentially discovering a bit of the world’s history.