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Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
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<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5838053" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Alaria was gently roused by the old dwarf, Imgulg. It seemed she had fallen asleep, again, sprawled over the ancient tomes and scrolls she had been studying and perusing. Someone, presumably Imgulg, had covered her shoulders with a blanket.</p><p></p><p>The dwarf smiled at the magess and offered her a silver goblet of honeyed elfvine. "Rise n' shine, magess." the dwarf offered with his weird crooked grin. </p><p></p><p>Alaria took the goblet and sipped on the sweet golden wine. It was like elfvine and yet not. "My thanks, Imgulg. How long have I been sleeping?" Alaria asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes and noticing the entirely spent candles on the small table in the back of Evaranthriine's library where she had been during almost all of her waking hours for that past...she couldn't even say how long. </p><p></p><p>The old dwarf set about replacing the used candles and lighting fresh ones with a long taper. "Ye've had a good long nap, lass. Four or five hours at the least."</p><p></p><p>She casually picked up the scroll she had begun studying last "night" before sleep had claimed her. She drew another sip of the wine and look ed at the old dwarf. "Imgulg, how long have I been at this? I swear, at times, I feel I shall never comprehend these formulae. The Lady Evaranthriine's gracious assistance notwithstanding, of course."</p><p></p><p>"Well, tis difficult to tell o' course." Imgulg finished lighting the candles and blew out the taper. He looked at the R'Hathi girl and grinned again. "Ye 'mind me so much o' them. The Lady n' her sisters, I mean. So talented. So determined."</p><p></p><p>He placed a gnarled solid hand on her shoulder. "Ye'll get it, I have no doubt o' that.</p><p></p><p>"As to the time...I'd say, mayhaps, a week? Mayhaps, eight or nine days? Ye've hardly been keepin' what I'd call 'regular hours.'" the dwarf chuckled a bit under his beard.</p><p></p><p>Alaria smiled back and peered down the one aisle between the shelves to where the central table with the crystal ball and high-backed chair Evaranthriine had spent so much time in these passed days. She was not there.</p><p></p><p>"Dost...erm...<em>Do</em> you know whence..I mean...<em>where</em> our Lady has gone?" Alaria stumbled over the words. The archaic mode of speaking that Imgulg and Evaranthriine used was proving ever more easy to slip into.</p><p></p><p>"Aye. Milady hast gone to her private chambers. Yer men hast ventured into the woods again...Oh, 'bout two hours passed." Imbulg answered.</p><p></p><p>Braddok, Fen, Festus, sometimes with Haelan and/or Duor, had been making regular forays into the surrounding desolate woods to do what they could to eliminate the evils that infested this realm of night.</p><p></p><p>When they did so, Evaranthriine assured them, the strange sorceress swathed in night did what she could to mask their coming and going from the prying evil eyes of her wicked sister.</p><p></p><p>They knew that Madagbueil had retreated to her own realm after the party arrived at Evaranthriine's "Spire." They also knew, according to Evaranthriine and Imgulg that she could not hope to pierce the tower, even as Evaranthriine could not pierce into the spire in Madagbueil's realm. But there could be little doubt she was interested in keeping tabs on what the party was doing, especially having been there for so long.</p><p></p><p>Evaranthriine assured them she was doing what she could from her realm of night to keep the evil witch, her "former" sister, distracted in Madagbueil's own twisted realm.</p><p></p><p>"Have you seen Erevan?" Alaria noticed that the desk the elf had been prone to use these past "days" was also unattended.</p><p></p><p>"Aye, the elf's taken to the field wit' th'others." Imgulg answered. "Said he needed t'stretch his bow arm. An' the daelvar is in his room...prayin' as usual." the old dwarf said with a roll of his eyes. Then he added, "Guess it does him some good. Who'm I t'judge."</p><p></p><p>Imgulg's head turned toward where the door to the chamber was and patted Alaria on the shoudler again. He looked at the wizardess and winked.</p><p></p><p>"Ye'll get it, lass. I know ye will. But I must be off. Much to do." he smiled. "Been nice t'have 'much t'do' after so long.</p><p></p><p>"I'll give ye 'nother hour at most and then ye best come down fer somethin' t'eat." the dwarf said as a kindly father and took his exit.</p><p></p><p>Alaria returned to her scrolls and tomes. That symbol was for lightning. The first syllable was to harnessing the requisite energy from the ether. Then the second called into form...but that next symbol...she knew it...that was...dammit all!</p><p></p><p>She turned her attention to the thick volume which had served as her pillow. Two pages of arcane syllables with pronunciations beside them.</p><p></p><p>Alaria, for the umpteenth time, scoured the pages for the sound to match the sigil she was looking at...which would also tell her what the next utterance was meant to bring into being.</p><p></p><p>She drew another long sip of her elfvine.</p><p></p><p>-----------------------------</p><p></p><p>Braddok, Festus, Duor and Erevan returned through the doorway, "hidden" by magics, that they'd been using in and out of the "bottom floor" that led into the kitchen.</p><p></p><p>They were covered in gore but each, except Erevan, had wide smiles on their faces and congrtulated each other on the disposing of several creatures that afternoon.</p><p></p><p>Imgulg was hard at work, toiling over pots and pans. He basted a spit full of various birds, "pheasants" he informed the warriors. The old dwarf was also chopping vegetables and then moving to the stove top to stir soup.</p><p> </p><p>The companions, several "days" ago, had stopped wondering or asking where all of the provisions came from as the answer, invariably, was the old dwarf pointing to one of the other doors that led off the kitchen and saying, "Pantry, o' course."</p><p></p><p>Duor had tried, twice, to gain entry while no one was watching. Both attempts were unsuccessful. Now, he just agreed to go with the flow of this weird magic place.</p><p></p><p>Festus regaled the old dwarf with their exploits of the day as Imgulg fetched libations for each of the men and offered them some slabs of meat which were "just finished."</p><p></p><p>The white-bearded dwarf smiled readily these "days", thoroughly enjoying the life and verve being back in his mistress' house.</p><p></p><p>"Valorous tales will e'er be sung 'round th'fires of Gorathgraard once again, lads. Whence the druid, though?" Imgulg asked.</p><p></p><p>"Shed he had more shtuff t'do on that garden'a his." Festus responded through a mouthful of pheasant leg.</p><p></p><p>"Aye," added Duor, "said he was on the verge o' some kinda 'break through.' W'ever that means." He took a long draw on the flagon of first-rate ale he had become very accustomed to and appreciative of from the silver goblet.</p><p></p><p>Fen had taken it upon himself to try to "right the wrong" his order had done the Lady Evaranthriine. As his meager abilities allowed, he was attempting to "restart Nature" in the starry world. He spent hours each "day" meditating and invoking his powers to bring about some kind of growth, encouraging the long dead flowerbeds and bushes of a small walled in garden behind the tower to return to life.</p><p></p><p>"Get thee to the fire. I'll bring the food up soon." Imgulg urged the warriors.</p><p></p><p>"Can we help, friend Imgulg?" Braddok offered. He was already taking up a ladel and mixing a pot of thick-looking tomato-based soup while the old dwarf was chopping some long white carrot-like root on the cutting board.</p><p></p><p>"If ya wish, master Braddok. Wouldst be appreciated." Imgulg answered in a smile. How the young man reminded him of his lady's lost champion. Courteous, handsome, skilled with the blade.</p><p></p><p>He was, no doubt, a worthy champion for the lady magess upstairs. Imgulg held high hopes for their eventual union. He had broached the topic with his kinsman, Duor, some "days" ago after observing how the warrior and magess interacted. </p><p></p><p>"PfAH! That'll be th'day." had been Duor's response. "Alaria's got her nose stuck in the air when it's not inna book. N' Braddok, don't get me wrong, I like Braddok very much...but he's, well, a bit gloomy since comin' back from the dead n' all."</p><p></p><p>Imgulg just nodded at the response. The old dwarf knew what he saw and it had not been so many eons that he'd forgotten how love took hold and grew. All in time, Imgulg had told himself. Everything in it's own time...as has always been the way, since the first carving of the Rocks of Oor.</p><p></p><p><<em>Author/DM's note: the "Rocks of Oor" are the term used among dwarfkind for the first legendary dwarves created by the Elder god, Oor, that spawned the rest of dwarvenkind. Hence the cultural belief that all dwarves are, in some way, going back far enough, related and, thus, "kinsmen."</em>> </p><p></p><p>"Champions, attend me in the Great Hall." came the voice of Evaranthriine echoing through the kitchen...in fact, through the entire tower.</p><p></p><p>"It is time." the Lady's stern disembodied voice said.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5838053, member: 92511"] Alaria was gently roused by the old dwarf, Imgulg. It seemed she had fallen asleep, again, sprawled over the ancient tomes and scrolls she had been studying and perusing. Someone, presumably Imgulg, had covered her shoulders with a blanket. The dwarf smiled at the magess and offered her a silver goblet of honeyed elfvine. "Rise n' shine, magess." the dwarf offered with his weird crooked grin. Alaria took the goblet and sipped on the sweet golden wine. It was like elfvine and yet not. "My thanks, Imgulg. How long have I been sleeping?" Alaria asked, blinking the sleep from her eyes and noticing the entirely spent candles on the small table in the back of Evaranthriine's library where she had been during almost all of her waking hours for that past...she couldn't even say how long. The old dwarf set about replacing the used candles and lighting fresh ones with a long taper. "Ye've had a good long nap, lass. Four or five hours at the least." She casually picked up the scroll she had begun studying last "night" before sleep had claimed her. She drew another sip of the wine and look ed at the old dwarf. "Imgulg, how long have I been at this? I swear, at times, I feel I shall never comprehend these formulae. The Lady Evaranthriine's gracious assistance notwithstanding, of course." "Well, tis difficult to tell o' course." Imgulg finished lighting the candles and blew out the taper. He looked at the R'Hathi girl and grinned again. "Ye 'mind me so much o' them. The Lady n' her sisters, I mean. So talented. So determined." He placed a gnarled solid hand on her shoulder. "Ye'll get it, I have no doubt o' that. "As to the time...I'd say, mayhaps, a week? Mayhaps, eight or nine days? Ye've hardly been keepin' what I'd call 'regular hours.'" the dwarf chuckled a bit under his beard. Alaria smiled back and peered down the one aisle between the shelves to where the central table with the crystal ball and high-backed chair Evaranthriine had spent so much time in these passed days. She was not there. "Dost...erm...[I]Do[/I] you know whence..I mean...[I]where[/I] our Lady has gone?" Alaria stumbled over the words. The archaic mode of speaking that Imgulg and Evaranthriine used was proving ever more easy to slip into. "Aye. Milady hast gone to her private chambers. Yer men hast ventured into the woods again...Oh, 'bout two hours passed." Imbulg answered. Braddok, Fen, Festus, sometimes with Haelan and/or Duor, had been making regular forays into the surrounding desolate woods to do what they could to eliminate the evils that infested this realm of night. When they did so, Evaranthriine assured them, the strange sorceress swathed in night did what she could to mask their coming and going from the prying evil eyes of her wicked sister. They knew that Madagbueil had retreated to her own realm after the party arrived at Evaranthriine's "Spire." They also knew, according to Evaranthriine and Imgulg that she could not hope to pierce the tower, even as Evaranthriine could not pierce into the spire in Madagbueil's realm. But there could be little doubt she was interested in keeping tabs on what the party was doing, especially having been there for so long. Evaranthriine assured them she was doing what she could from her realm of night to keep the evil witch, her "former" sister, distracted in Madagbueil's own twisted realm. "Have you seen Erevan?" Alaria noticed that the desk the elf had been prone to use these past "days" was also unattended. "Aye, the elf's taken to the field wit' th'others." Imgulg answered. "Said he needed t'stretch his bow arm. An' the daelvar is in his room...prayin' as usual." the old dwarf said with a roll of his eyes. Then he added, "Guess it does him some good. Who'm I t'judge." Imgulg's head turned toward where the door to the chamber was and patted Alaria on the shoudler again. He looked at the wizardess and winked. "Ye'll get it, lass. I know ye will. But I must be off. Much to do." he smiled. "Been nice t'have 'much t'do' after so long. "I'll give ye 'nother hour at most and then ye best come down fer somethin' t'eat." the dwarf said as a kindly father and took his exit. Alaria returned to her scrolls and tomes. That symbol was for lightning. The first syllable was to harnessing the requisite energy from the ether. Then the second called into form...but that next symbol...she knew it...that was...dammit all! She turned her attention to the thick volume which had served as her pillow. Two pages of arcane syllables with pronunciations beside them. Alaria, for the umpteenth time, scoured the pages for the sound to match the sigil she was looking at...which would also tell her what the next utterance was meant to bring into being. She drew another long sip of her elfvine. ----------------------------- Braddok, Festus, Duor and Erevan returned through the doorway, "hidden" by magics, that they'd been using in and out of the "bottom floor" that led into the kitchen. They were covered in gore but each, except Erevan, had wide smiles on their faces and congrtulated each other on the disposing of several creatures that afternoon. Imgulg was hard at work, toiling over pots and pans. He basted a spit full of various birds, "pheasants" he informed the warriors. The old dwarf was also chopping vegetables and then moving to the stove top to stir soup. The companions, several "days" ago, had stopped wondering or asking where all of the provisions came from as the answer, invariably, was the old dwarf pointing to one of the other doors that led off the kitchen and saying, "Pantry, o' course." Duor had tried, twice, to gain entry while no one was watching. Both attempts were unsuccessful. Now, he just agreed to go with the flow of this weird magic place. Festus regaled the old dwarf with their exploits of the day as Imgulg fetched libations for each of the men and offered them some slabs of meat which were "just finished." The white-bearded dwarf smiled readily these "days", thoroughly enjoying the life and verve being back in his mistress' house. "Valorous tales will e'er be sung 'round th'fires of Gorathgraard once again, lads. Whence the druid, though?" Imgulg asked. "Shed he had more shtuff t'do on that garden'a his." Festus responded through a mouthful of pheasant leg. "Aye," added Duor, "said he was on the verge o' some kinda 'break through.' W'ever that means." He took a long draw on the flagon of first-rate ale he had become very accustomed to and appreciative of from the silver goblet. Fen had taken it upon himself to try to "right the wrong" his order had done the Lady Evaranthriine. As his meager abilities allowed, he was attempting to "restart Nature" in the starry world. He spent hours each "day" meditating and invoking his powers to bring about some kind of growth, encouraging the long dead flowerbeds and bushes of a small walled in garden behind the tower to return to life. "Get thee to the fire. I'll bring the food up soon." Imgulg urged the warriors. "Can we help, friend Imgulg?" Braddok offered. He was already taking up a ladel and mixing a pot of thick-looking tomato-based soup while the old dwarf was chopping some long white carrot-like root on the cutting board. "If ya wish, master Braddok. Wouldst be appreciated." Imgulg answered in a smile. How the young man reminded him of his lady's lost champion. Courteous, handsome, skilled with the blade. He was, no doubt, a worthy champion for the lady magess upstairs. Imgulg held high hopes for their eventual union. He had broached the topic with his kinsman, Duor, some "days" ago after observing how the warrior and magess interacted. "PfAH! That'll be th'day." had been Duor's response. "Alaria's got her nose stuck in the air when it's not inna book. N' Braddok, don't get me wrong, I like Braddok very much...but he's, well, a bit gloomy since comin' back from the dead n' all." Imgulg just nodded at the response. The old dwarf knew what he saw and it had not been so many eons that he'd forgotten how love took hold and grew. All in time, Imgulg had told himself. Everything in it's own time...as has always been the way, since the first carving of the Rocks of Oor. <[I]Author/DM's note: the "Rocks of Oor" are the term used among dwarfkind for the first legendary dwarves created by the Elder god, Oor, that spawned the rest of dwarvenkind. Hence the cultural belief that all dwarves are, in some way, going back far enough, related and, thus, "kinsmen."[/I]> "Champions, attend me in the Great Hall." came the voice of Evaranthriine echoing through the kitchen...in fact, through the entire tower. "It is time." the Lady's stern disembodied voice said. [/QUOTE]
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