Wings of Fury 2

"Third!" said Avag with a sharp grin. "I've got a cousin who knows the Third. The Fourth always came naturally to me, or at least, the resilience part of it did. I was never the best at learning different parts of it, but for me at least, resilience is like talking. But that's not what I studied in the first place, you know. I was supposed to be learning it for enchantment! I wanted to attune bells! My family makes bells, you see. Belzren. It's right in the name! We're pretty famous for it in a few circles, even. Anyway, my siblings and I tried to learn the fourth song from a monk, since we were supposed to use it to attune bells for temples. Those bells have a very important job, you know! But I was better at resilience, and it helped a little at the foundry but it helped a lot more while travelling. Means I can get bit and burnt and hacked without it killing me, though the armour helps too. Means I can get out there and protect people without worrying too much about getting hurt myself."

He shrugged. "What's the Third Song like for you? My cousin can cheer anyone up, but I heard the Third can do all kinds of spooky things, like ghost stuff. Walking around without your body, I heard. Is that true? Can you do that stuff?"

Comète holds up one of her flyers for the Observatoire Metallique, pointing to a line that proclaims that the best pieces are battle-tested by the designer herself. She smiles kindly and sets it down, looking across the table to find some food to snack on.

He nodded along, seemingly noting away Avag's explanation of things, no recognition at the name Belzren but interested still.

"Can I? One day maybe, but not now. It's not an aspect I ever mastered despite trying. I was always better at linking to other minds than existence without flesh. I specialised in emotions and linking to minds, to allow me to better facilitate teamwork between squads when working with others and keep spirits steady, and if fighting an enemy... Well, being able to see the shape of an opponent's thoughts and alter their feelings mid-fight can give quite an edge to a warrior with a dab of skill."

He gave another gentle smile after that, instead of continuing on and instead leaving some parts of it unsaid as he took another sip of wine.

"You could say that, yes."

Terzi nods to Brom, peering carefully at Holek's puppet's stitching. She makes no shows of trying to take it for herself.

"Fascinating. I've seen puppets used for comedy but... Therapy? I'd be interested in how you find it therapeutic. I haven't considered something like this having utility... Do you have spares? I could make one for you if you could afford to commission me. A cloth... prothesis, basically... that would have to weather the wear and tear of a kitchen... It would be a remarkable challenge. You must be an incredibly skilled chef."

She backs away from Holek and his puppet, coincidentally giving the poor halfling chef room to breathe.

"Do you know who made it? I'd be interested in meeting them once my business in this area is done."

Zaya gives the cheese pretzels a questioning look, before deciding... sure, why not. The local cuisine hasn't been terrible so far.

I'm sure reptiles can process lactase just fine, and we don't need to worry about it.

"So you're testing... what, fireproof armor, then? That a thing? Sounds useful if it is."

"Not fireproof armor," Comète says in between bites (but never with her mouth full, of course). "Don't need it. Probably possible."

"...Don't need it? Uh. I'll take your word for it. I guess. Not afraid of getting burned? That's. Probably fine. Any luck, we won't be in the way of the fire anyway. Hopefully. I can't really deal with fire except putting it out afterward. So. ...Good luck, to all of us, is what I'm saying."

Zaya gracefully exits that conversation, grabbing another pretzel and glancing back to Rozenn. Right! She was talking to her earlier. "Went and asked. Henri... wants to keep his techniques a surprise. Part of that whole. 'Showing off' thing he's doing. Got the names of the people he learned from, though? No idea if that'll be helpful. Sounds like he's considering having us help now, instead of. Doing nothing? It's something."

Rozenn perks up and gives Zaya a wave! She listens carefully as the Tsavari speaks, pulling a face at the 'surprise.' She scratches out a response, clearly displeased with this turn of events.

"Hmmm. :/ That sounds foolhardy at best. If we knew his strategies, I could give my opinions, inexperienced though I am. It sounds like our worst fears might be confirmed... Who taught him? Maybe I've heard tell of their tales, at least."

"Sir Pierre the Dragonpiercer. Dame Adeline the Windrider." Zaya shakes her head. "Not mentioned in anything I've read. Book might be old. You ever heard of them? Haven't spent much time here. Obviously."

Rozenn's eyes light up in recognition at the mention of Pierre.

"Ah!! I have heard of the Dragonpiercer. He's rather... unchivalrous. Clever, though. Cleverer than Henri seems. He defeated the dragon Grersir through trickery and traps. After setting an injured deer out for him, Pierre ambushed Grersir from a tree.  Tied a rope around its neck when it tried to fly away, then hacked it to bits. The only injury Pierre sustained was from the dragon falling on his leg, which he lost. This... does not inspire confidence in Henri's combat prowess, if I'm being honest. Oh dear. :("

She taps her finger on the desk a few times, thinking.

"We're going to have to intervene, or else he's going to get himself killed. I just don't know how direct we can be."

Zaya munches on a pretzel, considering Rozenn's note.

"Any ideas? I don't have much. Not really... much of a combatant. I'm. Actually probably pretty useless for fighting a dragon. Figured I would improvise once we're there. See if I can keep him from burning to death. Or. Something. Maybe he's learned something important from... the other one? Not sure. Guess we need to be ready. For. Anything. Which is the hardest thing to be ready for."

Rozenn looks over the menu to try and decide what she'll buy everyone. She'll need to get some snacks to really send the right message!!! Once Zaya responds, though, it's back to writing.

"I'll mostly be dedicating myself to using the battlefield to our advantage and fighting as well as I can. I don't know how much I can do without song, but I have to try. What skills do you bring to the table, anyways, if you don't mind my asking? :o"

"Specialties? Hm. Thinking fast. Staying quick. Shooting things from a safe distance. Second Song, but. Very specialized. Very powerful, but very short range cryosinging. It's... niche. Got other skills, but they're not really. Relevant. To fighting a dragon. It's very different from scavenging on Salin. And from archeology on Salin. Mostly the same thing, those two."

Zaya makes a face at her half-eaten pretzel as it glints with what might be ice crystals. She grumbles and quickly eats the rest. "Honestly. Worried about my chances. Hope Sir Henri knows what he's doing. Wanted to get close to a dragon, but this... Might be pushing it. Still going to go."

Holek just shakes his head at Tezri's further puppetry probing and says "N... no. Nosorry." It is clear that this is distressing him...

"Very well. Should anything ever happen to it, seek me out, I'd be happy to help."

She gives a slight bow of her head.

"Terzi. Seamstress and songstress. I didn't realize that I hadn't introduced myself. My most sincere apologies if I caught you off guard with my professional interest."

Terzi seems satisfied with her inspection of the puppet and is making no efforts to continue, hopefully to the relief of Holek.

Avag grinned at Caulind, nodding. "Wow! I can imagine. Being able to see what someone you're fighting is thinking next, that seems super useful! Then being able to calm them down, or provoke them, or anything! You must be really good at this. I bet it'll be useful with the dragon. You could tell us how it plans on fighting, and also maybe if Henri over there is planning on doing something stupid. And let us talk to each other at the speed of thought, so we aren't yelling at each other in the middle of a fight! Oh, and I bet most of the folk here are Song users, since we came here expecting a big, dangerous adventure. Think I overheard a lot of people talking about using Songs. I bet that if we added all our skills together, we could probably take down Naissyri ourselves! I'm still half expecting to have to pull Henri's ass out of the fire - hah, maybe literally! - so we should be prepared if he's going to be doing unnecessary backflips or something."

He paused for half a second, then carried on talking. "You know, I wouldn't blame the knight for seeking a good reputation if he wasn't, well, a knight. I'm here for reputation, honestly. You need it as an adventurer, especially a wandering one, so people know they can trust you with their problems. It's super important! Otherwise people are just having to take your word for it that you can help them, and it's hard for them to take you seriously. Whereas if you have a good reputation as an adventurer, people come to you with their problems and trust you with the really important stuff. Otherwise, if they have a sensitive problem, what reason do they have to even tell you about it?" He shrugged. "It's more about the adventure than the rewards, anyway. Most of the places I help are farming villages, and the most they can really pay without asking too much is like food and board. I was trying to track down a bandit king who they say has a big hoard, though then I got waylaid helping that village with the ant problem, and then I heard about this and I admit I kind of got distracted by the prospect of fighting a dragon..." He once again turned to Caulind. "What about you? You look well enough off, if you don't mind me saying. You just here for the adventure? I can respect that!"

As conversations continue around their table, Grokzurl starts to feel somewhat anxious. All this talk of Songs and exploits from the past, it seems as though he might not have much to offer to many of these conversations. It isn't like him to keep his mouth shut, but without any stories of grand adventure of his own to share it feels almost like a waste of the others' time to interrupt. It's frustrating, but then again that is  why he's here. After their excursion with Sir Henri, Grok imagines he'll have plenty of tall tales to pass around an inn or two.



In the mean time, he turns his attention back to Rozenn's note. He's a bit surprised by what he reads; not her occasional shoulder-rubbing with the nobility, rather the fact that she'd so quickly offered to lend a hand at lending a hand.




"Thanks kind of you to offer :)," Grok writes, allowing himself to scrawl a little smiling face the same way Rozenn has (minus the tusks). "Though to be honest, I can't say the lodgings would be great...I've been moving all over since I was a child, so I'm used to improvising shelter. Don't have too much in the way of coin either, so tonight will probably be the last night I stay in an inn for a while. Probably not the sort of arrangement you'd be used to from working with the Chunadier bluebloods. Still, I'm sure the villagers would be more than happy to have the extra help on hand once the threat is dealt with."



After passing back his note, Grokzurl overhears the conversation between Avag and Caulind. Avag certainly seems to have plenty of adventures under his belt, and Caulind seems to be no stranger to danger either. The creeping anxiety grinds against his mind once more, but this time Grok swallows his reservations. He'll never get anywhere if he can't communicate with his group mates. He waits for a break in their chat before introducing himself.



"The two of you certainly seem to be seasoned adventurers!" he comments, the adoration evident in his voice. "I couldn't help overhearing you two; your exploits sound so interesting! I haven't been travelling alone for too long, but I'm sure I could learn plenty from you, if you've got more tales you'd like to share!" He holds out a hand, first to Avag. "Grokzurl is my name, but friends just call me Grok. So, what do you say? Care for a few drinks in exchange for a story or two?"

"More the shape of their thoughts. You don't really have the time for anything detailed unless you can quicken your own thoughts too. A lot of it becomes instinctual." He explained further, hands coming out as he described the art of it. He was the sort that liked to splay and move his fingers about as he talked apparently. Caulind had long nails, for an elf, and the fingers whilst long and dexterous didn't quite manage to not seem like they could easily grasp into someone between animated motions and resting upon the table as Avag took his own rambling turns.

"I'm here for both the spectacle and, well, there's a dragon killing people." He gave a slightly sad look, then shrugged. "It's a complicated business. I don't know much about dragons, or why this one is doing so. Is it just following it's nature or could something else be a solution to this? Maybe. I'd prefer to see this story play out myself than just watch from the sidelines. You have to be careful with adventures you get drawn into, that things aren't just, what your first gut reactions are, things don't just work out like stories." A little less animation in the hands although his expression and voice remained casual and chipper.

There was a twitch underneath the hood as Grokzurl addressed them, looking over with initial curiousity turned to warmth in response to the flattering attention. "I could be persuaded to pull out a few of the more light-hearted ones out I suppose, though nothing matches making your own experiences." Said coyly before finishing his half-glass of wine with a determined swig and sliding it, now empty, towards the human. "Thank you Grok. Let's see... There's that time I rescued a Tsavari prince from his father so he could continue his own 'adventures' with an Urkadi ranger I'd been travelling with." Giving a salacious wink at 'adventures'.

While the others talk, Comète produces a large sketchpad from her bag and flips it open, beginning to write. Every now and then she glances up or grabs a pretzel, but for the most part she seems completely absorbed in her task. Across the top of a blank page she writes FIREPROOF? and taps her pen to her chin. Next to a small silhouette sketch, she writes out PD-3L? and draws a few potential configurations of materials to lessen the effects of fire on the armor. Other notes soon litter the page, including NO REF/REP, 1PS - NEED VIS, and FAB/CLOTH with a little frowny face next to it.

"Grok! Got it! Great to meet you!" said Avag, reaching up to shake Grok's hand enthusiastically. "I'm Avag Belzren! Don't worry about drinks, the knight's already covering us all for the night, and this is the kind of swank place where they bring the refills to you! Gotta take advantage of those things when you're an adventurer on the road, right? Beats sleeping in a ditch any day of the week." He grinned his sharp-toothed grin. "And I have a ton of stories! I've been all up and down Chunadie, been to parts of the Giant's Tail, spent some time in the Arcturan Peninsula." Considering how far-ranging Grok's family was, that probably didn't seem that well-travelled at all.

"I'm not exactly the glamorous big hero kind of adventurer like Henri over there wants to be, but I've done my share of good and helped people in tough spots, and isn't that the key thing that being an adventurer is all about? Plus the whole enjoying the excitement, and seeing the sights, but those are just the perks! Most people are good, happy to help out with a travelling adventurer who helps them out in turn, so you can get pretty far just on being a good person. Though I've definitely run into some bad people in my time, and there was no helping them. Speaking of that, my best guess, like you were saying Caulind, is that the dragon we're out for is just a bad person though and through. I've heard a little about her recently, and Henri wasn't making it up when he said people tried to talk her down before. I don't know much of how it went, but since she's still going around terrorizing people and burning fields, I can't imagine she's got much empathy for us mortals. That's why I came here! Stopping her would be doing some real good! Though I won't deny that the reputation would be a huge perk too, for those of us who need it!" He added that last bit while giving Grok a conspiratorial elbow-nudge.

"But you were going to tell a story!" said Avag, climbing back into his chair. "I shouldn't be interrupting, specially since it sounds like a fun one! Where was this prince a prince of?"

"Oh yes, Henri will foot the bill, but at least let me cover the table service," Grok replies with a wink, deftly plucking Caulind's wine glass from the table. "Name a drink if you'd like me to bring you one back! Might even grab a pitcher of ale for the table to pass around." After taking Avag's order (should he choose to make one), Grok steps off towards the bar, gingerly setting down Caulind's glass and asking the elf's refill. For himself, he asks what the keeper recommends. Just as suspected, it's colorful, served in a fancy glass, and quite expensive. Perfect! He makes his way back and pulls up his chair between Avag and Caulind.

He raised up a hand, grinning whilst waiting for Grok to come back with the drinks before beginning.

There was a smacking of lips as fresh wine was tasted, enjoying it, another drawn out moment of silence as a little bit of mischievousness caused him to milk the part before beginning just to mess with the gabbering goblin.

"Well. To begin, I was searching for knowledge within the Tumbay Jungle, old leads. I was being assisted by a group that, let me clear, were not pirates I'd made friends with on the journey there. They were very clear about that. Anyway, one of their members apparently was the second son or so of one of the city's rulers, Peraki and his father did not approve of firstly that, his son had abandoned the clergy. Secondly had joined a group of mercenaries-not-pirates. Thirdly, his son being in an open relationship with some Urkadi without a hint of nobility whilst abandoning a prestigious marriage he'd set up. So, lot of tension there between parent and son. Anyway."

Some wine sipped again.

"He got jumped by some thugs his father had sent out to get him whilst we were in the region, having apparently kept a better eye out for our friend's return than we'd expected. Things got a little... chaotic in retaliation. We grouped up with this rather mad group of cultists involved in some kind of religious schism in Peraki, really had beef with the father. Lot of chaos going off, violence, magic, explosions. The pir-, not-pirates, -weren't really the best at foreseeing the results of their plans. We had to fight our way through some house guards and these strange... I don't know what they were. Far too damp and tentacley for my liking, touching their minds was gross. Still. We busted out lover-boy from his room and, well, everything after that wasn't really the groups problem? I'm not in a hurry to go back there admittedly but there was some reshuffling of the nobility after that. Apparently abominations aren't totally a-okay to have in your basement even if you're a noble, who knew? Honestly the make-out sessions between our guide and prince were more concerning than anything else, took weeks to get to my location." Rolling his eyes after that.

Rozenn gives a confident, reassuring smile to Zaya and pats her on the shoulder. She wishes she could sign here, but writing will simply have to do. The note is simple, but earnest.

"Don't worry. You're going to do great, and I'll be there to make sure nothing happens to you. :D A knight of Aldenard never turns her back on a comrade, and I now have it on good authority that my shield is very good!! I'm willing to bet cryosinging will be great here anyhow! Especially if this really is a fire-breather we're dealing with. Don't sell yourself short! P.S. are there any foods that are off limits for you or for people in your culture?"

She makes a gentle snort, a bit of a belly laugh coming  up when she reads Grok's letter. Her response comes just as quickly.

"I think you've got the wrong idea about me, my short friend. I'm not a noble myself - I'm a common knight of Aldenard. While I've stayed in the villas nobles like to own so much, I've spent many more nights in the cots of a ship, or in a tent after telling spooky campfire stories. There's no difference between knights and commoners back there, except what job they chose to go into. :P I would be more than happy to help if people need help. That's the job I chose as a questing knight. It's never beneath me to put my hands to work in the service of a good cause."

Next, slides a note between Caulind, Grok and Avag. It's clearly meant for all three of them!

"I liked your story :D but if you don't mind me asking: whatever happened to the prince and his beloved? Did they manage to resist society's judgment and get married? Or maybe elope together? Did the prince get to stay a noble, even though his father was disgraced? Or did he renounce his titles in pursuit of his one true love?" With how fancy the calligraphy gets near the end, it's apparent Rozenn is VERY invested.

Then, scratched onto a napkin after: "by the way do you guys have any dietary preferences or is stew ok?"

Finally, she stretches over and offers a note to Tezri!

"I'm sorry the puppet guy got upset by your questions :( I think he's just nervous. I don't think it was anything you did, if that makes you feel any better." A few lines down, the question is scratched out quickly, as if almost forgotten: "by the way do you like stew"

Zaya gives Rozenn a very unconvincing smile. Or maybe that's just what it looks like when she smiles? She's been a little on edge since she got here,  but maybe she's just Like That.

"Uh. Dietary... Not culturally. In Zrucan... can't really afford to pass up on anything edible. Survival is everything there. Don't usually go hungry, but. Never know when First will be dominant and food stores degrade faster. Nothing I'm sure I can eat on Alma yet. Apparently 'dairy' is fine. Wouldn't have expected it."

She also turns her attention to Story Time, because that's getting interesting. "You've been to Tumbay, you said? Never been. Have a friend from there in Stemspire. Family left because of... a plague? Haven't looked into it. Sounds like... interesting things happen there. Your story. I meant. Not the plague. Plagues aren't really. 'Interesting'. As much as just. Terrible and unpleasant."

Zaya crunches on another pretzel, again leaving a fine cover of ice crystals on it. She glances at Grok and Caulind. "Oh. Right. Didn't, uh. Introduce. Hi. Zaya-Viel. Cryosinger. Dragon scholar. Scavenger? Sort of."

Grok eagerly scans Rozenn's reply, though has to pause and roll his eyes when he scans the word "short". He's used to this from urkadi, but this is probably the first time someone's taken to calling him small quite so quickly. He decides to wait until Caulind has finished before focusing on writing again.

"I have to wonder what those...."tentacle-y" beasts may have been," the human comments. "Don't know that I've ever seen something with tentacles on dry land." He doesn't fully comprehend the talk of feeling their minds, but simply assumes it has something to do with one of the songs, the third he'd guess. Soon he'll have to start taking notes on everyone's exploits and abilities.

He then skims over Rozenn's note once more, writing his response just beneath.

"Ah, of course! I meant no offense; the only other knight I've had the pleasure of meeting is Sir Henri. It seems the two of you don't have much in common, though. Sorry for the misunderstanding!

Have you ever built a yurt? Might be the best thing for those villagers to use. Nice and sturdy, goes up fairly simply. It'd give them something to live in until some proper houses can be rebuilt." When he passes the note back to Rozenn, he bows his head slightly, even adding another quick utterance of, "My apologies." He's a bit embarrassed by this misstep, and it's fairly obvious.

By now Avag and Caulind's story circle is gathering a few audience members, which means more friends to be made!

"Good to meet you Zaya-Viel!" Grok responds with a grin, raising his glass slightly in the absence of a proper handshake. "You said you had a friend from Stemspire? A member of my family used to live in that arcology! Never said too much about their old home though. Only that life on Salin is quite a bit different from here. Do you miss it, being here on Alma?" Zanya had always been tight-lipped where their past was concerned, so any yeah of Salin was enough to keep Grok interested.