A Green Start

[Sej]

The recruiter didn't turn the young man away. The Alliance was pretty hard up for bodies, Soren could tell immediately. They needed people, even incompetent brats like him, and were willing to provide some of the training he was lacking. And he was pretty lacking in some basic training. The young noble knew nothing of camping or first aid. Though he was loathe to admit it to commoners, he could neither read nor write. Such frivolous tutorships had been one of the first cut by his father when he needed funds to cover his debts.

Soren licked his lips nervously as he glanced around the site. He'd come here to learn one of the basics for wilderness survival, first on his list. Travel rations could be lugged in a pack and replenished every so often, after all, but how to adequately set a camp was a necessary skill that any adventurer required while on the road. It was one he did not possess. Yet.

"Camping 101," Began the grizzled ranger-type instructing the young noble and a handful of other green recruits, tossing weather-faded satchels in front of Soren and each of the others. Inspection revealed his own to contain a patched length of canvas and a number of poles. "We'll start with shelter."

Dumbfounded, Soren looked around at the others, having not the slightest clue as to what he was supposed to accomplish with the nonsense bag of odds and ends he'd been given, as the instructor continued his speech.

"What use are you gonna be in the fight if by the time you get there you're soaked to the bone, missing toes and fingers from frostbite, or some other shit? I'm gonna show you how to make up and break down a tent, one of your best friends on the road."

After arranging the poles and canvas in the form a a small, camouflaged canvas tent in a matter of moments, the man turned back to them and gestured they try their hands at it. How hard could it be, really?

[Sej]

As it turns out, pretty hard. After what felt like an eternity of agonizing embarrassment, Soren surrendered glaring occasionally at the jumbled mess of canvas and poles that was his attempt at setting up a tent. The instructor came around, occasionally complementing the recruits on the work they'd done and showing them their mistakes and how to avoid them in the future. When he came to Soren, the man just shook his head a grumbled before making the young noble take the mess down before walking him through the entire process. By the end of it, he felt like he could set the tent up on his own with some competence, though the alacrity with which the instructor had done so was far beyond him still.

"Now that's done, know you may not always have a tent in the field for whatever reason. In such an instance, seek cover within the natural surroundings. Beneath a tree, or an unoccupied cave to keep as protected from the elements as possible."

"On to fire," The instructor gestured to piles of firewood lying off to the side. "When stealth is not a concern, fire can keep you warm, dry, and cook your food. Dry, dead wood is good. In a wooded environment there should be plenty. Arrange the wood like so, allowing the flames to breathe once it's been lit. You can all find some flint and tinder in those same packs your tents were in. Now, try making fires."

Soren arranged his wood just so and began to struggle with the flint, easily striking sparks but finding himself unable to get the fire to take. Wiping sweat from his brow, the young man sat up triumphantly once the fire got going. He wasn't the first, but he wasn't the last this time either. That felt good, like he'd accomplished something.

[Sej]

Once he'd helped the last of the recruits be able to consistently get a fire going on their own, the instructor ordered them to put out their fires and stow their tents. Once this was done, they were drilled on doing both as quickly and efficiently as possible for a while. It was oddly exhausting work but Soren felt good doing it. Every time he succeeded he felt good and could see a tangible result. Satisfied they were now competent at these two basic skills, the instructor gathered the lot of them around to impart a some more basic camping knowledge.

"Plan. Prepare as best you can for any camping journey and be sure to bring adequate rations, even if you're confident in your hunting skills. Isolated from support and in the middle of potentially hostile wilderness is NOT the place to be caught out because you couldn't be bothered to think it through. Refill your canteens from and drink running water when possible. For fucks sake, if you eat any game out there be sure to cook it thoroughly."

Their instructor continued to go on some more about various types of terrain and how best to prepare for and camp in them. The importance of bringing a blanket was impressed up Soren. Regardless of how hot it might seem outside during the day, many environments could grow quite cold at night.

"Even when pressed for time, respect the elements. Getting sick because you chose to march through the rain can cost far more than a few lost hours because you took shelter."

Soren was dismissed, certainly feeling as though he were now more knowledgeable about camping, but knowing better than ever just how unprepared he was for the life he'd signed up for. But he could adapt, learn, grow. This was his path now.

[Azuloth]

Complete.

Camping I Acquired, +2 stat points.