NPC: Kaleb

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Due to multiple options when speaking, text below may not be in comprehensive order.

*As you approach a darkly tanned man stacking bales of hay, he takes off his hat and wEL-DB.comipes the sweat from his face. Knuckling his back, he nods in your direction.* How do?

Working hard?

You yankin' my chain? With the hot sun beating down on you everyday, makes your tasks at hand multiply in difficulty. I'm used to it though, all in a days work.

How's it going?

It could be better, but it could also be worse. I slept in a little bit too late today and by the time I got out here, my brother Ivin had wandered off. He's easily distracted.

Ivin

He's my older brother. That's his house over there. He's careful to lock it up while he's away to show me he's being responsible. When I keep him focused, he's a lot of help. It takes a lot of effort to keep this farm producing.

Distracted

Whether it's a bird flying by or the sparkle of the sun shining off the water, Ivin has trouble staying on task. When he is on task, though, the work goes fast and we usually manage to have some fun. For a while, these bales of hay were a fort.

Effort

I've heard of other farmers who use essences and magic to work their fields, but if we did that, we'd lose our organic label and could no longer sell to Whole Foods. Besides, Ivin and I are simple folk. 'Keep it simple' has worked out for us for a long time. That along with a regular routine make my life with my brother pretty good.

Sounds hard.

My wife thought so too, but it really isn't. My brother has an uncanny knack for looking at the world in such a fresh and new way. When I try to see the world through his eyes, I know I'm a better person for it. I don't know of a kinder, gentler soul in all of Draia. You should have seen him the time he caught a fish with his bare hands. That memory has stayed with him a long time.

Wife

This simple life just wasn't for her. She didn't want to see life through Ivin's eyes and we eventually parted company. Don't get me wrong, I do miss her and the abiEL-DB.comlity to have a conversation like we're doing right now. But you know what? I wouldn't trade my brother away for all the gold bricks in Castle Radu, wherever that is.

A fish

He was maybe 19 or 20 when it happened. We were down by the docks just looking into the water when he spotted a fish. He watched that fish for hours simply fascinated by it. That night, he asked me how he could catch it. I suggested bait, a fishing pole, and a hook, but he wouldn't have anything to do with that because he didn't want to hurt it. Can you believe that?

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So, I told him that if he could move very slowly he might be able to get his hands in the water and pick up the fish. I'd never seen him so focused on a single task before and I'll treasure the memory of the look in his eyes when he managed to snatch up a fish out of the water. It was probably the happiest day of his life. We put the fish in a bucket of water and hurried back here to show dad.

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Before you ask, my mom died shortly after I was born. Folks around here say that after she died a part of dad died too. Anyway, Ivin ran in to show dad what he'd caught while I started doing some evening chores. When I came in later, Ivin told me to be quiet because dad was sleeping real good. When I looked in on him, I knew he wasn't sleeping.

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We buried him next to mom over in the graveyard. I cried pretty hard when we buried him and Ivin held me and patted my back and said it was all ok. Dad was sleeping so good and dreaming happy dreams for us. Damn, that thought still brings a tear to my eyes. I best be getting back to these chores. They won't do themselves.

Graveyard

Pretty creepy place. I would have much preferred givin' my dad a warrior's funeral like they do at the pyre up north. Anywho, watch your step in the graveyard - you might go and fall into the crypt. Trust me, you won't find many friendly things down there.

Magic farming

There was this gnome woman from up at the school who came by here a while back who was wanting to study farming by using magic. She talked a lot, and real fast too. She thought that in drought, applications of water essences could be applied to the ground to feed the crops. Well, I wasn't too sure about it. I wouldn't want to be eating tomatoes fed by magical water essences, would you?

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Anyway, as we were walking by these stacks of hay, she started sneezing like all get out and that got her to thinking about what caused her to sneeze. Seems it happens when she's around all kinEL-DB.comds of things and when I asked her if earth essences applied to tired out dirt would make it good again, she seemed not to hear me. She headed right back to the magic school not a minute later.

He's not like us?

No. Inside the body of a man resides the mind of a child, but he's my brother and I love him just as he is. Don't get me wrong, though, there have been times when I've found his condition to be quite trying. I've found that if I remind him not to mess his pants, it makes less work for me. And as for his house, I would prefer he lived with me, but he's determined to be responsible, god love him.

Healers can't help?

We tried recently when we heard about a new healer up at the magic school. Aurora is her name. She looked him over and after a while said he was perfectly healthy and happy. The way she said it, it sounded like a compliment, though. I think some of the others were disappointed.

Others

Tailorica, Maechan, Ghita, and Relnor, to name a few. When we go for new clothes, or visit old Maechan and take him some corn, or get something to eat at the tavern, or stop off to put something into storage, I see the looks in their eyes. They just can't see Ivin like I do and it makes me sad, so we are better off here on the farm, away from their eyes that look like their hearts are breaking.

Take care

You do the same and if you happen to see Ivin around somewhere will you do me a favor and send him home? Much appreciated. See ya.