User:FJH/fjh frtrss/str nishsigunkokeb/150galena

Galena in the Age of Heroes, 150

6 Galena
I was rather surprised this morning. I was expecting the next thing to jump out of the bushes to be another Tiger when it instead turned out to be a Human Ranger withh a crossbow trained. He must have thought I was the Tiger. Quickly sorting some things out - yes, I was a Dwarf - he had the courtesy to lead to back to his town - Creedpacked! I finally made it. If everything else the Demon said is accurate then my dragon is somewhere on the northern shore of the ocean relative to this point.

I spoke with a Clerk who claimed the town leader of the forest retreat was busy. No one had seen a Dwarf in these parts for about twenty years and his major concern was whether I was looking to settle a mountainhome on top of Fragile Furnaces. I could only assure him that I was only here to hunt a dragon. His reaction made me think that dragons must be more dubious than Dwarves on this side of the Amareromi. On second thought, it was probably the blood splatters. He didn't give me a chance to explain, though, because he rudely dismissed me and darted away.

I had free run of the town and I wanted to make best of it as I could. Bugbear society had been rather lacking and even Lershicasot was rather sparsely-populated compared to Creedpacked. The first thing I noticed is that most humies had guarded homes. Each window I saw through was occupied in some corner of the house by a Swordsman or a Pikeman or one of the Guards. One of the many, many Guards. They didn't give me much the time of day - it was nearing dusk when I was asking them - so I could not get a straight answer to any of my questions. As I was exploring one of the barrack housing buildings I discovered a Silver Xelic in one of the rooms, completely out of place with the rest of the human population. Almost as displaced as me. Xelics were an odd group of the beast-men races, more insect-like than animal, and the Silver variety were much more peaceful than even the treehuggers. He was willing to talk with me.

The Wrestler ëtuyoyï Kunoxïgitiru had come from the Silver Xelic capital of Lunchmarkets on account of his cousin Arerà Pullstorm. Arerà was apparently the real Xelic of Creedpacked and had just recently slain a humie named Oli Admireoutrage. He didn't know why but the humans had taken a personal indignation and had called something they deemed a "trial" to decide what to do with Arerà. I asked about this thing called a "trial" but the more ëtuyoyï explained the more I realized he only vaguely understood it too. It was some kind of tournament before a formal resolution to decide whether and how to punish his cousin. The process was convoluted and lost all sense of sense shortly and ëtuyoyï apologized for failing to explain. I don't get why the whole song and dance. Just hit him with a hammer until he repents or dies and then chain him far away from booze for a while so he can cool his head. If that punishment was good enough for a Dwarf, it was simple enough for a human to understand.

7 Galena
ëtuyoyï let me bunk in his room rather than the noisy mead hall. He apparently stepped out a few times last night on account of his cousin. Also, he had molted. Unlike the Clerk, ëtuyoyï was more interested in hearing the story of why I was here. I'm no Bard but I think I carried the explanation well enough, though the only real emotion he showed was surprise at hearing about Drurumuth. His advice was something about Demons only being self-interested, or something, and to be careful. Obvious but good sound advice, especially since I was taking on a dragon. I wanted to know if he had learned more about this thing called "trial" in the night but a Human appeared at the door and called him away, probably to do something with his cousin.

My continued exploration of Creedpacked made me want to get something drink, only to make me realize I had lost my waterskin somewhere. It was probably those Tigers from before. The local outfitter's shopkeeper Mobma greeted me with "Life is, in a word, war." Since the local deity was Iño and not Nato, I was forced to conclude that his was a bleak outlook. Until I paid him that seemed to be the case anyway.

I had wanted to explore their keep a little but Guards barred my entrance, stating something about official business and that it was nothing I could offer my Services for. Inside I did catch sight of a Xelic - couldn't tell if it was ëtuyoyï - with a number of weapon-holding Humans, the Clerk from yesterday, and someone seated at the end of the room where they were. This must have been something to do with the "trial" but I wasn't permitted time to take notes. The bend up the Eastern side of the ocean isn't far from the forest retreat here anyway; I should get to it.

8 Galena
I swear the bend wasn't this far when I was atop Fragile Furnaces!

9 Galena
The first civilization I encountered after rounding the south-eastern corner of Amareromi was the Silver Xelic "town" of Yhoskajuluouquoo. Actually, I completely stumbled into it by accident. I had forgotten that Silver Xelics lived much like Elves, without formal buildings or tunnels to call home. At least they didn't name trees with silly titles. Oh, and they had also built this marvelous stone road through their "village" to the next. As long as they have their surface-dwelling priorities straight. Take that, you lazy arrogant treehuggers!

The village had loads and loads of young Xelics running around and playing. Their leader was a friendly Druid named Ade ïefeihedraëtaihe who, though she didn't have any knowledge of dragons, suggested I go and visit their capital Shakenhooves south of here. Two capitals in close proximity? When I mentioned ëtuyoyï and Lunchmarkets, the Ade just nodded. That wasn't an answer. She was highly curious about "trial" that was occurring when I mentioned it and I try to explain exactly the disorganized account I had been given. Her expression was unreadable - as far from readable as a face made a chitin plates permitted you'll grant me - but I could see she needed a drink to let that soak in. So could I.

I didn'r know Xelics didn't ferment their own alcohol, substituting it for tree sap mostly. Only part of the whole visit I didn't like.

14 Galena
I discovered another humie village today, Icensudem. From what I learned in Creedpacked, this is the Human capital; it's really hard to tell. The only real difference between the towns were siltstone block pillars in random places around the map. They weren't even engraved, supported nothing, and didn't seem to serve any purpose. Perhaps I should consider them in the same vein as the Silver Xelic stone road?

Only interesting things existed in this town. The first was Luthi Laroabba, the Axe Lord who ran the place, who didn't seem to realize he had Silver Xelic neighbors. Must not be well-traveled. The other thing was the shopkeeper Mastrod Ruluquaba who ran a weapon's shop. Missing the falchion I lost back before Lershicasot, I found myself looking at a crystal longsword (longer than me!). When I tried to trade, however, Mastrod refused to accept the money I had accumulated from Human and High Elven cities, made of no different substances than other money. He even refused to accept the Human Lershicasot currency or to price any of the goods I had on me. It was quite uncomfortable. He did, however, assert that he was willing to sell me something.

I snatched some flies in his shop out of the air, ten of them, and tried to sell them to him in an expression of frustration. Oddly, his only complaint was that they were too wriggly like this and not caged. That was a surprisingly reasonable argument. Stuffing the flies into my backpack, I resolved to find a place that sold cages. I never did purchase the longsword.

17 Galena
I finally reached the northern shore of Amareromi. If the blueberry on my map is legitimate, and that Demon was right, this dragon should be somewhere east of here now.

22 Galena
Lions are tough fights, alone or in groups. They tend to pounce you to the ground and while they don't weigh as much as Deinonychu they keep you pinned and, even if you weapon finds their hide, it is tough enough that the weapon might be yanked from your hand leaving you without a defense or offense but the back of your hands.

No sign of any dens or dragons yet, separate or together.

24 Galena
I believe I have discovered a portion of the western shore of the ocean Amareromi. Confound it!


Update: More lions, in larger packs! Fortunately my two short Dwarven feet run faster than they can on four. It was my only resort after my axe became lodged in one's skin and I lost both control and sight of it.

I think I ran ahead of the large group for over an hour this morning before I suddenly encountered a fit of dizziness and - just like before - my perception and bloodlust became peaked. My feet slowed to a standstill, I turned to face the oncoming group, and then charged at them. The first lion I charged into burst into limbs all around me. Nato dug into the flesh of the others, tossing them and their body parts left and right. In dodging all attacks I sustained no injuries while they suffered complete loss.

Calmness did not return until I marched across the emptiness of the blood splattered field and reclaimed hold of Nato. That was hard to do, harder than I want to admit. Even after the lions fell down I was compelled to run across the field and find something else to bashed against the ground until it bled. After I grabbed the axe, I threw up.

I don't know if I can keep losing control like that.

25 Galena
More lions. Everywhere I go, lions, lions, lions. To avoid the bloodlust that consumed me last time, I resolved not to run even if I lost control of my axe. Fortunately, the two that attacked me were not as difficult as the others. I downed the first one after a scuffle by splitting its head, and struck the other in its leg while still on the ground. It crawled off somewhere and I let it; exhaustion had made me too tired to chase after it, and I didn't want to.

I dragged the lion corpse over to a bush and ignited some berries, burning the thing in the closest I could manage to a pyre. God of war and death, no; Demon of the same, no; I just wanted blindly charging forward to keep me under my own control.