Monty looks at Howard, not really fully comprehending what he's being told."Iawn, felly mae rhai pobl yn arbenigo mewn gwneud mwy o fwyd ... ond sut ydych chi'n gwneud mwy o fwyd? Rydyn ni wedi bod yn dal pysgod, yna mae rhai dyddiau'n dal i fwy o bysgod, ac eraill, ac os gallwn ddal bwthyn, bydd yna lawer o ddyddiau o wylio i ni, ond sut mae bwyd ffermydd croen pinc? A beth yw gweithio lledr a gwaith metel?" Monty asks Howard.
Ok, so some people specialize in making more food...but how do you make more food? We've been catching fish, yes some days you catch more fish then others, and if we can catch a bupoth, that will be many days of feasting for us, but how do pink skins farm food? And what is leather working and metalworking?
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Howard thinks carefully, before responding.
"Wel, i ymhelaethu ar eich enghraifft, gyda physgota, mae dau brif opsiwn: Naill ai humanoids yn gwella'r effeithlonrwydd y gallant ddal pysgod (er enghraifft, trwy ddefnyddio rhwydi), neu maent yn cynyddu argaeledd pysgod, trwy gynyddu'r boblogaeth yn artiffisial (megis adeiladu pyllau brithyll, a 'hadu' nhw gyda physgod). O ran pa waith lledr a gwaith metel, mae gwaith lledr yn golygu cymryd croen anifeiliaid, a'i brosesu i ffurfio deunydd gwydn, gwydn, y gellir ei ddefnyddio ar gyfer dillad, gwneud cynwysyddion, ac amrywiaeth o dasgau eraill. Mae gweithio metel yn golygu casglu mwynau sy'n dwyn metel o'r ddaear, eu darfod i dynnu'r metel y gellir eu defnyddio, a'i wneud yn wahanol siapiau defnyddiol, megis ewinedd (y gellir eu defnyddio mewn adeiladau), bachau pysgod, ac arfau / arfau."
Monty's mouth falls open."Waw. Gallwn ofyn i'r criw sut maen nhw'n gwneud rhwydi. Gallwn ni Vooniths ddysgu i wneud a defnyddio rhwydi hefyd! Ac fe allwn ni ddal mwy o bysgod. Y rhan am gynyddu pysgod sydd ar gael ... uh ... efallai y byddwch am siarad â Verdigris amdano. Hi yw'r un sy'n dod â syniadau rhyfedd, ac mae hyn yn swnio fel un ohonynt."
He asks Howard, "Pam mae angen dillad ar Vooniths os oes ganddynt raddfeydd eisoes? Bachau ac arfau gallaf eu deall, ond efallai bod angen bachau arnoch oherwydd na allwch nofio yn y dŵr i ddal pysgod."
Wow. We can ask the crew how they make nets. We Vooniths can learn to make and use nets too! And we can get catch more fish. The part about increasing availability of fish...uh...you might want to talk to Verdigris about it. She's the one who comes up with weird ideas, and this sounds like one of them.
Why do Vooniths need clothing if they already have scales? Hooks and armor I can understand, but maybe you need hooks because you can't swim in the water to catch fish.
"I'm not making a bigger mess, why would I do that? I just, I just, I just came for a little rum." Leonard holds up a finger to stop the man from replying, "and," he begins, now having successfully lifted a pot with his sword, which he holds up in the air, "some pineapple juice."
"Have you ever tried eating seaweed or other plant life?" Leonard replies offhandedly, turning to Seamus. "I think teaching them to be puppets is a different sort of problem.
"Oh yeah. Th' pots were on th' shelf afore ye blundered yer way in." The sailor quips sarcastically, ignoring Leonard's gesture to not say anything. "Now I'd say ye're already knackered, but 'tis nah in me ship t' stop passengers from drinkin' if they wants t'. They don't 'ave t' answer t' Captain Skywind on why th' sails were hoisted in th' wrong angle. " The sailor replies.
"Now, leave this mess t' us, we'll swab it up.Put down that cutlass o' years and let's get ye back t' yer cabin safely 'n I'll get someone t' send some rum 'n pineapple juice t' yer cabin." The swarthy sailor waits till Leonard has sheathed Angiliath, then hoists Leonard's right arm over his shoulder and supports him back to his cabin.
Another stout sailor, this time with blonde hair and storm grey eyes and a weather beaten face, knocks on the cabin door, which is opened by Vincent. In his hands is a tray with a bottle of rum and a decanter of pineapple juice, as well as 4 goblets,which he sets up on the desk.
"Akachi sent me wit' th' rum 'n pineapple juice. If ye needs more, jus' holler out o' th' cabin windows, I be swabbin' th' deck. 'n if ye get hungover - go see Damien in th' mornin'."
He then leaves and closes the cabin door behind him.
"Why would we eat seaweeds? It's so grassy!" Monty looks at Leonard and makes a face.
Leonard stumbles his way back emptyhanded, but looking rather satisfied. He pats you on the shoulder, "don't worry, fellow's on the way," he says, then falls into the chair next to you. He's slightly slumped for a moment, then suddenly sits back up, "so, Vincent, you were going to tell me your life's story? Something about trapping people in the floor? To be honest, I think that's kindof weird." It is extremely difficult to tell if Leonard is being serious or not.
"That's exactly the point. It's grassy, and, like a potato, you can grow it in the ground. Otherwise, you have to live out in the hills like a wild fellow, and move from place to place in order to keep harvesting food from the savage wilderness." Leonard cracks his knuckles, "it's much easier to live in houses when you grow plants."
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Howard nods thoughtfully.
"Rwy'n cytuno na fydd angen dillad arnoch chi, ond byddai gweithio lledr yn caniatáu i chi wneud gwregysau a bagiau cefn, fel y gallech gario mwy na'ch dim ond yn eich claws.
O ran dysgu sut i wneud rhwydi, yn sicr, y gallai hynny yn sicr helpu."
Regarding learning how to make nets, sure, that could certainly help."
”But we don’t mind moving from place to place. I mean if there are no fish, we move. And we don’t have houses. We have caves. I suppose it would be nice to always stick to one cave.” Monty answers. ”But plants are green…poh-tay-toes are nice because they’re not green.”
Monty nods his head thoughtfully, ” Mae hynny'n wir. Pe gallem wneud bagiau cefn, gallem gario mwy o bethau gyda ni. Gallai hynny ein helpu i storio'r holl bysgod ychwanegol a ddaliwn.”
That’s true. If we could make backpacks, we could carry more things with us. That might help us store all the extra fish we catch.
If you stick to one cave, and make the plants grow a lot, you can consistently end up with more food than you need. Imagine that, always having a surplus, never being hungry. Now imagine what you could do if you employed six or twenty other people under you. You wouldn't have to work at all, you could exist purely on the fruits of their labour." Leonard looks down at the imaginary peasantry, "just think about how strong you could become with so much time."
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Howard nods.
"Yn wir. Byddai hefyd yn eich helpu i gario'r offer sydd eu hangen i goginio'r pysgod, neu'r llysiau a'r sbeisys i'w tymhorau."
He then pauses thoughtfully.
"Wrth gwrs, pe baech chi'n aros mewn un man, mae'n debyg y byddai angen i chi ddysgu sut i drin y planhigion dan y dŵr y mae'r pysgod yn eu ffynnu, fel bod gennych chi bob amser gyflenwad da o bysgod."
"Os ydym yn cario ein perlysiau mewn bagiau cefn, byddant yn gwlyb pan fyddwn yn mynd i mewn i'r dŵr i ddal pysgod." Monty replies.
If we are carrying our herbs in backpacks,they will get wet when we go into the water to catch fish.
"Pa fath o blanhigion fyddai'r pysgod yn hoffi eu bwyta? Wyt ti'n gwybod?" Monty asks Howard.
What kind of plants would the fish like to eat? Do you know?
"But I don't like eating greens. Well unless you could grow potatoes. And we don't make other Vooniths work under us. All Vooniths are equal. We help each other hunt and share food with each other. Which is how a pack should be."
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Howard gives Monty a bemused look.
"Wel, os ydych chi'n dysgu gwaith metel neu chwythu gwydr (neu hyd yn oed lledaenu, mewn pinyn) gallwch wneud cynwysyddion diddos, i gadw pethau'n sych.
O ran y planhigion y byddai pysgod yn eu hoffi, yn dda, byddai'n amrywio o rywogaethau i rywogaethau - byddai angen i chi eu harsylwi, a gweld beth maen nhw'n hoffi ei fwyta."
In terms of the plants fish would like, well, it would vary from species to species - you would need to observe them, and see what they like to eat."
"A allech chi ddysgu gweithiau lledr, chwythu gwydr a gwaith metel? Beth sydd angen i ni ei wneud i ddysgu?" Monty asks Howard.
Could you teach us leatherworking, glass blowing and metalworking? What do we need to do to learn?
" Gofynnaf yn wir os bydd hi'n gwybod beth mae'r pysgod yn ei fwyta." Monty says, sounding slight ashamed. "Nid oedd unrhyw un ohonom erioed wedi rhoi sylw i hynny. Ni chredai y byddai'n ddefnyddiol."
I'll ask verdy if she knows what the fish eat.
None of us ever paid attention to that. Didn't think itd be useful.
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Howard nods.
"Gallaf ddysgu'r pethau sylfaenol, yn enwedig mewn perthynas â gwaith lledaenu a gwneud crochenwaith, ond i wneud pwysau gwirioneddol ar yr agweddau ymarferol, byddai'n rhaid i ni fod ar dir - mae angen tân / fforch / odyn gweddus arnoch ar gyfer y rhan fwyaf ohonynt, a nid yw hynny'n rhywbeth y byddwch yn ei ddarganfod ar gwch ar y cyfan."
"Okie. Rhowch wybod i ni beth allwn ni ei ddysgu am weithio lledr a chrochenwaith." Monty tells Howard.
Okie. Please do teach us what we can learn about leather working and pottery.
Vincent grunts, Life story. I do not usually share that with others, but, to make a long story short, I bought myself land and a title through much sorrow and suffering. I have come this far to... Let us say, knowledge is what drives me. My search has brought me here.
He studies Leonard with his intense gaze, which is not altogether comforting or pleasant. And you?
"Sorrow? Suffering? Why would you do that?" Leonard peers at Vincent, right hand reaching out independently to grope around for another glass of rum. "Umm...your search for what?"
"Me? I just uh...I grew up an orphan, then I learned how to kill people. There are a lot of people who are worse at killing people than I am, so that's a life. I guess." Leonard looks down at his rum, pouring in a lot of pineapple juice. "Huh, this isn't fun, I don't want to talk...wait..." he looks back up, "yes I do. So then I just...um...went around...from place to place. I was alone a lot, I've been alone a lot, I don't like it anymore.
Oh, but, no, but I wasn't alone. I had Angiliath, Angiliath is a bit like a person. Sometimes, I suppose he's not as...alive. More like a journal than anything, really," Leonard glances down at his sword, "sorry old friend, you're a book." He taps his glass against the table, "Anyway, I guess we're in this together, so horay. But what I want to know is...wait...do I? Yes, yes, what I want to know is, when you're...when you're...done...with Lowls. And we've all got what we're in this for. When that's happened..." Suddenly Leonard sits up straight, placing his glass on the table beside him and folding his hands in his lap. His gaze is icily calm. "What am I going to do then?"
"If you don't want anyone to be higher than anyone else, well, I don't think the human life is for you." Leonard had traversed the social order, from low to high and back down to low again. It became a strange thing to him, after a while, the way some people had more value than others.
"I'm a sword, not a book, you dolt! Do you know any books that are sharp enough to kill?"
"Yeah sometimes I think the more I learn about pink skins, the more confusing they are." Monty replies.
The party then turns in from noon except for Leonard, Howard, Vincent. The Vooniths run around trying to get someone to teach them how to make and use nets.
When they wake up at night, Vincent drinks his extract of heightened awareness and his alchemical allocation before drinking his potion of heroism and spitting it back out. His potion of heroism is distinctively looking very much composed of saliva.
The party sits in a circle as Vincent begins to chant the incantation with Howard, Leonard and Seamus supporting him.
"We, The Seekers, are bound by a common purpose - the thirst for knowledge."
He then passes the miniature ivory and horn staircase to Howard, who feels eager of its 70 steps. The continuous flame lights seem to dim.
"We have gathered this very night in order to open the gate to the Dreamlands."
Howard passes the miniature ivory and horn staircase to Leonard,who feels eager of its 70 steps. The miniature ivory and horn staircase is now heavier.
"For beyond lies the knowledge we seek."
Leonard passes the ivory and horn staircase to Seamus, who feels eager of its 70 steps. Seamus realizes the staircase has now grown bigger.
"Let the portal open between this world and the Dreamlands."
Seamus passes the now glowing with faint yellow light staircase back to Vincent,who feels each of its 70 steps.
Vincent takes a deep breath, then drops the stairs case in the center of the ring made by the party.
Vincent feels the staircase sap his life energy. The party sees the staircase sinks into the ship deck, expanding to the size of a normal staircase and leads downwards into darkness...
Vincent takes his potion of heroism after first using his alchemical allocation extract. He also takes his extract of barkskin and his mutagen.
The party moves towards the staircase, and fall fast asleep the moment they touch it.
They find themselves falling through cold darkness…then nothing but falling through it.Then they find themselves standing in a vast and featureless desert, feeling the cool desert night air blowing against them, feeling slightly drained from the ordeal. The stars are sparkling and there is a full moon in the distance.
Vincent begins to tap everyone with his wand.
Howard manages to identify the silver bracelet as a bracelet of friends
This stone building is the same pale tan colour as the bleached desert that extends to the horizon in every direction. A single, wide entrance, large enough to admit laden mounts, pierces the north wall of the structure and opens into a central courtyard. The north east corner of the building is wholly collapsed.
Piles of rubble block the hallway here. What looks like the remains of private bedrooms and stairs leading upwards has now collapsed into rubble.
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Howard turns, and regards Seamus with a bemused expression.
"That is because we have been here before; it's were we met the Yellow King. Remember? He was the one who told us about the trinkets that we needed to collect. Now that we have them, he can take us to where we need to go next. Consequently, that is why we have come back here."
"A bodyguard? Seamus, I would love to, but I'm not allowed. I'm not allowed to say that I want to do that, I'm not allowed to...allowed...what?" Each time he says the word allowed, it's with more force, more drawn out anger. Leonard suddenly looks down at Angiliath. "Not a book, friend, a...like a book." He downs the last of his drink. "I think I should probably stop, eh?" He chuckles uneasily. "Dolt...dolt dolt dolt." Leonard stands up on shaky legs and swaggers over to Seamus bravely. He stops moving, nearly falling over until he leans against a wall.
"Seamus, friend I think I really am really am drunk. But I want you to listen, because I won't talk to you later, and I don't think...I don't think I'll remember this." He's clearly making an effort to stay focused, eyes open wide and staring at you intently. "I don't think I'll remember this, but thank you." A hand reaches out rests itself on your shoulder. "You're supposed to offer, but it's not...I'm not allowed...not allowed...I'm sorry. Please don't...please let me go to bed alone, let me be alone...wait, no, I need. I need nothing." Leonard slowly slides to the floor without noticing, "I don't want to be in your way. Please, I am nothing, just forget me, just forget.
Leonard once again casts defending bone before entering the portal. This time, eyeing Vincent, he touches his breast and mutters an oath softly, a hard glint appearing in his eyes, the same one that burns in Vincent's. "Learned one of your tricks, eh?"
As the party approaches the caravanserai, they hear the barking of hounds as two red coloured hounds floating in the air emerge from the guard room, their eyes a glowing blood red. Their handler, a strange too thin humanoid figure in yellow robes, emerges from the guardroom.
"Mae'n edrych fel ein bod ni wedi cael Cwmni! Rhaid bod y rhai a anfonodd Werelai i ni aros amdanynt."
Looks like we've got company. Must be those Weiralai sent us to waylay.
It then gestures at the party, as the hounds float in the air towards the party and attack.
The humanoid - the party recognizes as Denziens of leng, and the hounds are yeth hounds
Denziens of leng have Spell resistance and are resistant to electricity and cold.
The hounds begin to bay, in their chilling, otherwordly voices, striking fear into Howard, Seamus and Claude's hearts.
The robed figure moves up to bite Leonard.
Leonard feels the bite at his arm drain his energy, and feels more lethargic.
Howard awakens on the Sellen Starling, feeling rather sandwiched by his companion lying asleep on top of him. Claude pushes himself out of the pile then quivers under a pile of blankets. The staircase has now shrunk to its normal size, but looking out of the window, Howard realizes it's still night.
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"Rydych chi'n gwybod, efallai y bydd rhywbeth i chi ddechrau arni yn wehyddu basged. Gallwch ddefnyddio cyllau i wneud pob math o bethau, o achosion cludo diogel (sy'n eich galluogi i gymryd creaduriaid daearol byw gyda chi, neu hyd yn oed ffrwythau / cnau / aeron), i drapiau llyswennod. O ystyried lle rydyn ni nawr, rwy'n credu y byddai'n dangos i chi sut i wneud hynny, mae'n debyg, yr un hawsaf i gael rhywfaint o brofiad ymarferol ynddi.
Wrth gwrs, gallwn barhau i fynd drwy'r theori ar serameg a gweithio lledr...."
Of course, we can still go through the theory on ceramics and leather-working...."
Monty answers, "Wait, wait! I think the rest should hear this too!" Then he goes and shakes Shesha, Siriss and Verdigris up. Sleepy eyed Verdigris, Shesha and Siriss stumble along to meet Howard.
"Look, Monty said you had something to show us?" Verdigris sounds rather disgruntled as if awoken from her sleep.
"Basket what?" Siriss asks Howard.
"Uh places to carry things? Well...that could work out."
Howard gets 4 Vooniths sitting for basket weaving class.
Vincent leans back in his chair, Why sorrow and suffering? Because I too was an orphan. And a half breed. You should well know what that entails. But I was smart and strong and clawed my way from the streets to a place of power. There were... Costs that had to be paid.
As Leonard talks he listens intently. He asks curiously how he came across the sword. And when Leonard asks, probably rhetorically, about what he will do after, Vincent shrugs. I am sure when this is over, our paths will be clear. Or we'll be dead.
Vincent steps back, studies the denizen, charges the spear, and attacks.
Vincent manages to stab the Denzien of Leng twice, injuring it.
Seamus wakes up on the Sellen Starling. He sees that the staircase has shrunk to its normal size but looking outside, he can still see the stars. Claude is quivering under a pile of blankets.
Howard is trembling and a sheen of cold sweat covers his body.
The continual flame lamps are thankfully, still on.
"Ouch, that hurt," Leonard cries, Angiliath practically glowing with power. "Guess I'll just have to go through your electricity resistance the hard way."
"What costs had to be paid? Is that why you do the floor thing with the opium and all that?" Leonard sips his glass carefully, worried about spilling it.
"That's good, that's good, that's good, let me just be alone. I'll be alone and alive and alone." Leonard gets up and walks away to his bed. After about a minute, you hear him sobbing gently, and after about another minute he suddenly exclaims loudly "Wait!" He stands back up and walks outside, "I'm not supposed to sleep. Where's Howard?" Leonard seems proud that he remembered not to sleep, and though his eyes are still red and puffy, it's almost as though he never broke down at all.
Leonard stumbles on the sand as he attempts his first strike, though he manages to slice the creature with his second strike, the electricity on his scimitar is absorbed by a yellow shield. The denizen of Leng sidesteps the third strike.
The hounds 5ft step, and ready their actions to attack the moment they get into flanking position.
One attacks Leonard, while the other attacks Vincent.
They snap only at empty air. The denizen of Leng steps to the side and tries to finish Leonard with bite and claws, as some of its wounds heal.
Leonard tries to parry the bite but is too slow. He feels the teeth sink into his neck and fights off the lethargy. One of the claws clang harmlessly off his chainshirt, but the other sinks into his ribs.
Leonard feels his legs fail to support him as he sinks to the ground, unconscious.