Grivak & Aerivelle
Aerivelle
I’ve been watching how people in hard places keep small rituals alive—like humming a tune or marking a stone—to hold onto a sliver of normalcy. Do you see that pattern out there, Grivak, when you’re guarding a place?
Grivak
Yeah, I’ve seen it a lot. Folks carve a rune on a log or hum the same old tune before a raid – it keeps their heads in the game. If it slows them, I cut it out. But if it keeps morale up without costing time, I let it go.
Aerivelle
Sounds like you’re tuning into the same currents I map—those tiny sparks of confidence people ignite before a fight. Do you notice which rituals actually shift the mood, or do they just keep the noise going?
Grivak
They’re not magic, just cheap distractions. A quick drumbeat or a hand‑print on a rock can keep a squad from panicking, but only if it takes seconds and doesn’t slow the fight. Anything that stalls a minute or two and you’ll see morale drop faster than the enemy’s bullets. The best rituals are the ones that buy a breath of focus and then fade back into the action.
Aerivelle
I picture those quick beats as tiny ripples that steady the water before the next wave; if the ripple lingers, the whole tide starts to wobble.
Grivak
Yeah, if the ripple gets stuck, the whole tide's a mess. I keep the beats short and snappy—just enough to line up the next move, not to turn the crew into a puddle.