Plantjack stumbles toward them, nursing a large gash on one of his vines.
"Or, given that the Tsar lives, he may just have gotten some of the power. Or be a lesser champion. It's...uncertain."*Water flows over PJ's gash, washing away the pain as the gash closes.*
"I've seen nothing in the Tsar that suggests he retains power over flame."
The dragon touches down.
That doesn't mean he doesn't have it but isn't employing it. Nor that he hasn't just regained some of that mastery.
Hello stranger. More than his use of flame(if he does indeed retain that ability) has changed. He wasn't using buzzsaw's anymore, opting instead to wield a strange, powerful, greatsword."
Nimora's eyes widen. "I is give you greeting, dragon."
And has anyone tried to determine what those gems are for yet? Threads or champions he's killed? Some sort of rechargeable power-boosting devices? Wards which have to be taken down before he can be destroyed?
That's twice he and his mistress have tried to destroy this place, and frankly, as a dragon and creature therefore of the air, it's starting to annoy me.
The dragon glances at The Bard.
I take it you use that shape because you enjoy it?
The dragon glances at The Bard.
I take it you use that shape because you enjoy it?
*Kaelar stares suspiciously at this new dragon.*
"What do you mean, sjach taithar?"
It's just that if some blighter of an enchanter's forced that shape on you, against your will, then for a small consideration I would be perfectly happy to hunt him down and exterminate him if that helped you out.
The dragon appears to notice Nimora for the first time.
Hello little wet one.
The dragon appears to notice Nimora for the first time.
Hello little wet one.
Nimora bows respectfully, trembling just a bit. She looks back and forth between Kaelar and the dragon, puzzled at their conversation.
"Is this being about Kaelar's son being different race than he is being? Is that being why you is being think that he is being in wrong form?"
The dragon glances at The Bard.
His secrets, not mine.
So, with the goddess Lynora-Jill still off doing whatever divine things it is that she's doing, I take it that you are formulating a strategy to deal with the undead thing and her pet construct? She will be working out a plan to deal with the Board Warden, I expect, since he was the only thing which drove her off this time.
And she can probably be counted on to go straight for him if he shows up again, unless she has acquired subtlety in the interim. She has a preposterous level of arrogance for someone lacking the understandable justification of being a dragon.
Nimora looks down, certain that this line of inquiry is not directed at her. The dragon makes her nervous. And formulating strategy is something that Champions do. She was only a very young sea elf, even if she was reasonably good with her trident. And she really hated looking like an idiot in front of Kaelar. She inwardly cursed herself for not holding her tongue.
I am still here, noble drake. It was not by power alone was my sister driven off.
The dragon glances at The Bard.
His secrets, not mine.
*For a brief moment, Kaelar seems uncomfortable. He regains his composure quickly.*
"I apoligize, but I should get Aidan here to the volcano. We could continue the conversation later at the Oasis if you wish. Or continue it here, I won't stop you."*The Bard strides through the omniportal, taking Aidan to the volcano shown within it's depths.*
"Your sister? I do not being understand," Nimora blurts out and then bites her lip. When would she ever learn to stop making a fool of herself?
"Your sister? I do not being understand," Nimora blurts out and then bites her lip. When would she ever learn to stop making a fool of herself?
Yes. Those that wield the energy are family. Black, White, Green, or Dark. We share the same blood.
And yes, we do kill each other sometimes.
Do you not have family?
Yes. Those that wield the energy are family. Black, White, Green, or Dark. We share the same blood.
And yes, we do kill each other sometimes.
Do you not have family?
I has family. They was being send me away. I is disappointment. They is say I is being too rash, was being put everyone in danger. I was being sent far away where I is no being able to being cause more trouble.
The dragon addresses the Board Warden
So if she's your sister - either literally or figuratively - and you occasionally kill one another, it's possible for her, if she takes the gloves off and gets her own pretty little hands dirty, for her to personally kill you?
And will that stick if she does?
The dragon addresses the Board Warden
So if she's your sister - either literally or figuratively - and you occasionally kill one another, it's possible for her, if she takes the gloves off and gets her own pretty little hands dirty, for her to personally kill you?
And will that stick if she does?
The Warden seems puzzled.
No. She has summoned me after all. And others. We Wardens serve the Board. We are Balance. We serve Purpose.
The Warden seems puzzled.
No. She has summoned me after all. And others.
Summoned you? But that is being so strange. She was being so angry that you were being here.
I has family. They was being send me away. I is disappointment. They is say I is being too rash, was being put everyone in danger. I was being sent far away where I is no being able to being cause more trouble.Yes. Those that wield the energy are family. Black, White, Green, or Dark. We share the same blood.
And yes, we do kill each other sometimes.
Do you not have family?
But you are family still.
The Warden seems puzzled.
No. She has summoned me after all. And others. We Wardens serve the Board. We are Balance.
Are her actions comprehensible to you? Or do you not understand them, because it is not necessary for you to understand them?
Summoned you? But that is being so strange. She was being so angry that you were being here.
The Warden seems puzzled.
No. She has summoned me after all. And others.
Angry? Again, he seems confused.
She was doing what I cannot permit. She knows that. She made me stronger. She made more of me.
I do not understand.
I do not be believe she was being intend to make you stronger and making more of you. She did not being look happy about her being give you power.
The Warden seems puzzled.
No. She has summoned me after all. And others. We Wardens serve the Board. We are Balance.
Are her actions comprehensible to you? Or do you not understand them, because it is not necessary for you to understand them?
I am not sure.
I do not be believe she was being intend to make you stronger and making more of you. She did not being look happy about her being give you power.
What is 'happy'? I do not understand. Is it important?
This place is where avians gather to seek counsel. Supplicants may seek guidance if they make the requisite offering.
I do not be believe she was being intend to make you stronger and making more of you. She did not being look happy about her being give you power.What is 'happy'? I do not understand. Is it important?
Happy is being an emotion. A feeling. When things is being nice and you is liking them you is feel happy.
I do not be believe she was being intend to make you stronger and making more of you. She did not being look happy about her being give you power.What is 'happy'? I do not understand. Is it important?Happy is being an emotion. A feeling. When things is being nice and you is liking them you is feel happy.
I do not understand. I do not know 'happy'.
I am not sure.
To a limited extent at least, your sister is capable of change and adaptation; and the fact that you are apparently much less so is currently a matter of concern for some of those who have the same objectives with regard to this place - that is to say its preservation - as yourself.
I do not understand. I do not know 'happy'.
Nimora stops and thinks for a moment.
How do you being feel when you is being protect a place and you is being successful? How was you being feel when was being put this place back together?
I am not sure.To a limited extent at least, your sister is capable of change and adaptation; and the fact that you are apparently much less so is currently a matter of concern for some of those who have the same objectives with regard to this place - that is to say its preservation - as yourself.
Do I need to be able to change and adapt? Will that protect this place?
I do not understand. I do not know 'happy'.
Nimora stops and thinks for a moment.
How do you being feel when you is being protect a place and you is being successful? How was you being feel when was being put this place back together?
I do not feel. I do, or I fail. If I fail another will come.
Do I need to be able to change and adapt? Will that protect this place?
Perhaps. I need to think on this.
Good day to you.
The dragon takes to the skies, with strong wingbeats, and departs the Place of Winds.
You know I really think that we could do something with this place...
The pair of apparent elves arrive at The Place of the Winds, Aritha carrying a silver birdcage which contains a couple of thoroughly miserable looking captve imps.
Prince Azran waves an arm around, generally, indicating the distant peaks, the sky, and the sacred place.
Well we'd have to redecorate a lot. And I'm not moving in without checking the omens first.
She heads over to the altar, puts the birdcage down, unlatches the door, and reaches inside.
The two imps squeal and try to get out of the way, but she drags one out, pushing the door shut and relatching it, before smacking the imp she retrieved unconcious against the edge of the altar.
She tosses the comatose imp onto the altar, and spends a few moments rearranging it, before producing a silver-bladed knife from her belt.
Then she slices the imp open, and starts to rummage around through its entrails, as ichor starts to slowly spread across the altar.
The Prince shades his eyes thoughtfully and looks in the direction of the Eyrie of winds.
Of course having a brooding fortress of namby-pamby do-gooders nearby would be a bit of a downer. Although just think how much we would liven their dreary days up, if we moved in with our full entourage.
Examining the various vital organs....
Hmm. Yes darling.
I do believe I see some Starhawks circling over there.
You know, properly trained, they can be quite loyal I hear.
Not sure about what you have to feed 'em though.
Continuing to examine the entrails.
Hmm. No, darling.
Or how you break 'em. I mean if you can get hold of unhatched eggs, that's quite one thing, but if you get a wild one, fully fledged... well you have to train it somehow. And I once heard that they're supposed to be intelligent, too, some strains of the breed.
Continuing to examine the entrails...
Anything you say, dar...
Oh stop that, squirming around.
She whacks the imp.
Tough little blighter. Recovered faster than I thought. Oh damn. Now I've gone and killed it.
The imp completely dissolves and turns into a spreading pool of noisome sludge.
Well the omens seemed to be fairly favourable.
She straightens up, produces a blood-stained rag that looks like it has been torn from the altar-cloth of a temple, and proceeds to start cleaning the knife.
Our next little bundle of joy, <she giggles slightly here> will rule thirteen worlds, be queen over a pantheon of demigods, and have a pair of trumpet-archon slaves to feed her grapes.
Either that or Lamashtu thinks we should get rid of the old hearthrug and get a new one made out of octopus hide.
But either way, the omens seem to be generally favourable, so I think that we can probably move in.
She pauses.
Just as soon as we have that box.
I don't know why you want that box so much, dear. You have so many boxes with curses or interesting histories attached back in the Abyss. We have a whole cave full of them, with half a dozen glabrezus on guard day and night, because you're so paranoid that someone will come along and steal one of them.
I want that box because I need it for my collection, and you're going to help me get it because you love me so much, darling.
He rolls his eyes but says nothing more and waits whilst she collects the birdcage with its solitary surviving imp, puts the knife away, and comes back to join him. Then, arm in arm, they depart the Place of the Winds.
He rolls his eyes but says nothing more and waits whilst she collects the birdcage with its solitary surviving imp, puts the knife away, and comes back to join him. Then, arm in arm, they depart the Place of the Winds.
Plantjack appears.
"Really, this is beginning to get annoying. Create your own home, this is not for you. Please depart, I'm, not in the mood for a fight. Really, I'm growing sick of guarding this place."