Urban survival

[Chambers]

Shaking his head at the request to slow down. "Phew. No I'm aright." Questionable perhaps. "Like I told you back at." Breathe, wheeze. "The Hookah place, I need to get my fitness up." And he had not undersold his short coming, stamina is not a problem he can keep going but it won't be at the speeds the others can achieve when they push themselves.

He struggles on, determined and resolved to get to wherever it is Skye is leading them to have a forage. "I didn't say crops." Managing a wry grin through the wheezes. Although what he has in place he does not elaborate on. "Every minute." I mean yes it does. "Could be your last." He had walked the realm of death he knew what was to come, he knew death was a lie but one he had finite opportunity to overcome. "Each one should be used for a purpose." Although he did like the idea of people owning and maintaining their own animals for food. that had a certain efficiency about it. "Good luck with the farm." Is how he is able to express that sentiment.

Listening to Skye talk gave him a repose to not, meaning his breath was not being used for to things in tandem. And before we did that what did we do? When reality was as it is meant to be in the age when Atlantis stood and the supernal flowed freely. When food and decay and injury were of little to no consequence what did we do then? His knowledge of each arcana sufficient to tell him so. "I will have to chalk that up the fundamental differences between us. I simply cant see peace in such a thing not when there is more to be done." And that it would seem is the theme of our discussion the way we are shaped and lead by our towers, the truths we know more intimately then any but those who share in it. He chuckles, coughs but smirks after. "Oh yes we are all different, but I can do much more then research thank you." He has not taken it poorly he gets what she means. "I'd have a roof and four walls carved out of the cliff side or a cave before you know it. A working door the next day." His craft was much more then making pretty gimmick prizes.

Looking at the offered water he shakes his head. "That's kind but no I'm alright." It always goes back to sympathy and conditions. There's something I might be able to do about that though, in small ways. Composing his suffering into a warmer smile. "I'm sure you'll need it at some point." But for now he had given enough his sympathy to the other mages of the Consilium not to wish anymore of it if he could manage that.

[Guru]

Despite Chamber's request he'd still slow down though he'd keep it to a light jog for himself, "Well if you want to do some training you're always welcome to tag along on my runs." No need to scare him off by saying the difficulty would vary. The only way to get better was to test your limits, repeatedly. This was an avenue of thought he'd already lived out and the data there had not come out well. "It's not statistically likely that it's our last. I have a million data points showing it's not and it will not be. That data can be altered," in a myriad and plethora of ways, "but demonstrably this minute and the next will not be my last. My last minute will be my last." And is it a fixed moment in time? Too many questions to explore in this venue. "I think so long as you get value out of what you're doing, whatever it may be, is the core of the matter."


Skye lost him with the talks of stealth and camouflage though, they were just a tool in his arsenal and that's all the attachment he had to it. Though the offer of help from Skye and the well wishes from Chambers had him smiling brightly. "Thanks. I like to have a redundancy for a redundancy if I have a choice in the matter. Luck shouldn't be needed," he could ultimately see to that, "but help might be. Down the road though. the land isn't even available yet. But that's a plan for after the next two plans." He said with a laugh knowing how he got to be with his ideas sometimes. He'd follow through...in his own time at least. "Masonry is a fine profession though we know you can cook too." His smile wide at the exceedingly bad pun. While he agreed with the heart of Skye's message he wasn't certain to the truth of it so he chose to remain silent on the matter for now. He let Skye play nurse, it would free him up to play bad cop if Chambers needed a trainer. He knew there was still some gas left in that tank, he hadn't even vomited yet.

[Skye]

Softly shrugging and keeping the tempo set by Josh.
”Good for you, pushing ourselves is how we improve, our bodies are apparently designed for long distance so just keep going.” Each effort to better oneself was always a thing to not underestimate or not be kind to. ”Josh I think we can speed up a little more then, maybe not full on the same as before but a bit more than this.” Not much gained without a bit of a push ”What kind of runs do you normally do? I do some myself, but due to constantly walking, exercising or skating so do I tend to get very varied in my exercise regimes.”

Looking upon the stone worker, their grasps were as ever fundamentally different, seemed like he truly did see things through their eyes, whilst she kept one foot in both worlds in a very different manner.
”We all have our paths to traverse, it works for me, but what works for me is not what is ideal for the next. I am simply a hunter/gatherer, and like that.” Chuckling as she listens to his words, knowing fully well what he meant. ”Hehe, now those skills would come in handy, but I think you understood what I meant with my words. Divided talents and skills are handy to have around, and of great aid.” Sighing at his words. ”How about I hold the bottle and just pour some into your mouth? Or into your hands?” More fleeting than that I cannot really come up with.

Giving her path mate a grand smile.
”It´s an open offer, besides I would be interested to see you in more than formal and party settings, you have so much more to offer than I have been able to see, which I would like to change.” Chuckling along with the laughter, long term planning was never bad, not something she excelled at for these matters herself though. Her goals to constant to ever be achieved.

Raising up from her seat a bit.
”Hey I see a little path in there, how about we take it and start looking for some mushrooms? I think here should be good, what do you say?” Glad she had been able to keep her mouth shut on the words that nearly spilled out.

[Chambers]

Focusing more on the moving forward part of this trip then much else. "Training might be a little." Breathe and focus. "Much to start." He had no intention or time foe a dedicated routine. "But a little more time." Breathe and focus. "On the bike seems to be needed." And oh boy was it so much harder to have philosophical conversation when the effort to breathe cut every sentence shorter. "Statically." A brazen choice to use statistics when discussing death. "People die every moment." Illness, injury, accident, design, age foreseen and unexpectedly the spectre of the lie sent souls around again instead of where they should be going every single moment. "No reason it can't be you or me." In fact as mages their life expectancy was considerably shorter then the average sleeper.

Far from a proud man, he is able to takes Skye's compliments as intended and not brag. "Yes, a diverse skill set is useful to have." Keep going. "You aren't wrong about that." A shake of the head is all she gets when offering the water, it would look rather odd and sure he would suffer, but this was temporary he would endure it. the architect of his own inability and all that.
The offer to stop however, and search the path for mushrooms that is accepted with gratitude and a lot of panting. "By all means lead the way." A little walk pushing the bike while they looked for the various fungi sounded very much in order to him.

[Guru]

When told to push he would up the speed to a more normal jog. "I run. I take full advantage of the activity of running. I find somewhere beautiful and I run around it. I'll generally listen to a lecture or music when I'm doing it. Has a good way of really focusing your attention." Whether he stuck to the trail was a different story, often times there were interesting features off the beaten path. Though he slowed a bit to drop closer to Mason, "You can set up a stationary bike, read while you bike." He would tilt his head before Skye pointed off a break in the trail.


He was breathing deep and heavy now. Doing his best to time and calculate his breathing to keep his body under his control. A more active application of the discipline of meditation, once you had the system down you could adapt it. He couldn't help but laugh at the Moros' words and hold out his arms and look up briefly, he shook his head. "I drive every day. Statistically it's one of the most dangerous things I do. Do you know how many people die in automobile accidents everyday? If I let that knowledge paralyze me with fear and indecision I would get nothing done. Why worry about an end if it's inevitable? I think we might have gotten something different out of the Maraṇasati." There was another laugh that turned into a small cough as he had to catch his breath and get his breathing back into cycle. He says with confidence while struggling to get back in the saddle after his own. He'd only brushed the beginnings of the truths laid there but it hadn't been the first time either. Certain truths were certainly easier to learn than others but you needed bitter lessons sometimes too.


"I have a reference guide and am part of a couple local groups for foraging. I know one of the most common variety of fungi in this area is the chicken of the woods, but it's fairly common in most places. I'll be able to ID that one no problem, I've foraged and eaten that before." He then paused and looked to Skye to let her pick up the lesson she'd started. Grateful to her for the offer of assistance, filing it away for later as he was certain he'd need it.

[Skye]

Admiring the masonry workers dedication to truly try to keep his talks up despite the clear effort the bike ride was having on him, especially as the speed was again raised back a little.
”That is why grouping together is good, to cover many bases alone is never wrong, but the collective is a good source to seek aid where we ourselves might fall short.” Turning her head to Guru. ”It is really nice, isn´t it? I love doing that myself when time allows for it, so often I am stuck with just skating or walking around. But when time allows for relaxation so is it marvelous to just put some music in, zone out and run through an area like wild. Especially when there is no real path before you, just the unknown of the lands, taking each twist and turn as they come.” That was so much fun.

Eyes looking over at Josh with a slight huh in them, not following his strange word at all but luckily it was not addressed to her.

Parking her bike and locking it up properly before jumping up with a little skipping backwards into the woodland area.
”That is interesting, I travel so much that I get to encounter so many different ones that what is most common here has long since filed out of my memory, I am also not the best with all the names. Just with what is edible and how to eat them.” A look over at Mason. ”You good to head in or need a moment to catch your breath?” No more having asked her question before grabbing on to a branch, swaying and throwing herself up on it to look around for a bit of a better vantage point, looking completely at home with the trees around her. A look up toward the sun, the formation of the trees, where the shade was at the moment, thinking over how it might spread, how the weather had been as of late before making a backflip down with her back to them, spinning around ready to keep skipping backwards. ”I think we will get the best result if we head in that direction, provided others havent beaten us to the punch.”

[Chambers]

The idea of a stationary bike is rather appealing, but there's a different objective he hopes to improve on. "Not quite the same." Panting through his wheezes. "But I do get out just slower." For the longest while it had felt like only he traversed the city looking for hints of the supernal and supernatural. "But more independence seems like a goods plan." That and the ability to get out of a situation more easily never hurt.

Grateful for the rest he will trail behind as they make there way into the foraging spot. "To many." Is the answer he is able to give regarding driving related deaths. Its not sympathy per say, not for the individuals but there is something of regret about his countenance. "It should not paralyse that's point, it should motivate." The whole make use of the time you have, don't sit around waiting, be efficient part oft he conversation comes back to mind. "We might have. But you'll have to excuse me if I remain stubborn on this one." No one knew death like a necromancer after all.

Skye get a thumbs up, he is good to push onwards, walking is much more his pace of life. He will still walk slower though, slow enough to begin to catch his breath over time. "As long as it does not get in the way of personal growth, there is nothing wrong in asking for help no." It can be refused or bartered for of course, but nothing stopped someone asking.

[Guru]

"I make time for it but I keep my regiment varied so I don't get bored." He said with a smile as Skye spoke on their nature as a tribal species. Fitness and study had been constants in his life for so long he didn't know what he'd do without them, they helped provide the rigor and discipline that kept his scattered thoughts resembling any sort of order. Mason wouldn't find a lot of disagreement with the Shaman on that topic, they were polar opposites on this spectrum. "No you have more expertise there than I, but knowledge can paralyze as much as enlighten. Hope can lift and hope can destroy. I usually just go back to Pavlov..." He offered with a shrug, this was certainly more the realm for someone on the Ladder to chime in. He let himself get a little to close to the subject matter to remain objective here.


"I don't think independence and personal growth are uncommon virtues among our peers. " No it's usually when someone grew too much and acted too independantly that there came an issue. That's why there was a Council and the Lex, right? Even thinking about the subject made his stomach churn more than that whole run. He was more than happy to pivot to their fungal friends and quick. "Makes sense, less light in that direction. I see what you're thinking. If there's been rainfall in the area recently we might get lucky too. Laetiporus tends to grow in stacks or shelves on the sides of trees. They're pretty iconic, they get their name due to the taste and texture. It's, chicken-esque in flavor in my experience. It's still a mushroom." He offered with a laugh. knowing there was a lot of word of mouth about it and its cousin from the area the Lobster mushroom.

[Skye]

Registering something off within the stoneworkers words, feeling something amiss but not really sure what it might be nor its source so opting to remain silent.
”True, but sometimes we can also learn more from help as long as the helper is one who cares to actually guide you and not just solve it with no care to impart knowledge.”

Keeping herself moving backward, taking the lead with eyes upon the both of them.
”Variation can heighten the enjoyment to no ends, but sometimes the same paths can offer more if we just look and are ready to take it can it not?” The talks overall starting to get a bit to far away from the words she was the most enlighted in and it was clear that they were all simply just very different.

A wide eye at her fellow forager with a little whisper.
”Exactly, someone really does know what they are talking about I see but first.” Making a backflip over a tree, skipping three steps back as she leans down before a couple of
we have these. Waiting for them to get closer before turning her eyes to Mason making certain to not touch the mushroom. ”Notice the nice brown hue, it´s appetizing look and invite?” Taking a stick and lifting it up to carefully show it of. ”It can trick and fool many a beginners, especially with its brown yellowish appearance, as time goes on the cap will start to spread out to look flatter rather than this little rounded one.” Flipping one lose with the stick, lifting it to show the underside of it. ”Take a look of how the color goes in underneath here, these kinds of mushrooms usually grow on dead trees but not exclusively, if you see them so is the best thing to do to either just leave them alone or stomp them out. I am not that well versed with all its names but one name for it is funeral bell.” Looking up at him. ”It will make your stomach highly upset, make you want to vomit it up, give you hypothermia and then take your life if not treated. And as said it is a deceptive one so do take note, it usually starts growing around this time of the year but can be found in most seasons.” Giving time to let them be looked over for a bit but preparing to stomp them out.

[Chambers]

And there in lies one of several inherent differences between the mystagogue and the arrows philosophy. Knowledge should not be freely imparted. "Asking for help needs to not be one sided. Take today for instance we spoke of you foraging and me cooking, open fires in a park being the risk they are I am well aware I will owe you those lessons, and fully intend to pay the debt." It would just need to be at an actual campsite or kitchen.

As for the talk of philosophy switching into the realms of phycology with the guru. "Conditioned emotional responses if I recall?" Not one he was particularly up to date with. "Not if its handled properly." A significant part of the shared order duty of all mystagogues after all. "And of the knowledge we speak I have yet to hear of one like me who has been held in place by it." The awareness of the power of lie and the truth of death a driving force in many Moros who had experienced it. Part of why we are so often perceived as grim in the stereotype.

Skyes lesson is something he will give the respect all knowledge deserves of focusing his attention on what she shows him, not shying away and not recoiling when the lethal nature of the mushroom is made known. "I see so this little one is fatal, good to know." And probably good not to many people know that these days. The idea that a lethal poison is just growing in a public space not off putting but an interesting readjustment to the way he perceives a few things. "If not treat, how would you go about treating it?" Definitely worth knowing encase of any accidents.