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| | <font size="+2">The Journal of Nish Sigunkobeb</font><br \> | | <font size="+2">The Journal of Nish Sigunkobeb</font><br \> |
| | <font size="-1">Property of Nish Tourdweller of Äkimkulet</font><br \> | | <font size="-1">Property of Nish Tourdweller of Äkimkulet</font><br \> |
| − | </font>
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| − | == Granite in the Age of Heroes, 150 == | + | <font size="+1">[[/150granite|Granite in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| − | <font face="Papyrus"> | + | In which Nish receives his quest to slay a dragon but becomes lost.<br \> |
| − | <b>1 Granite</b><br \>
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| − | It wasn't a pleasant morning. I don't recall last night, but waking up on a bed, or a cot in my case, is a sure sign that something went right at that point. That usually means you've drunken a lot with friends in a grand dining hall or that you've finished a hard day's work under the earth. Waking up in the middle of a battlefield with a headache puts that sort of thing into perspective.<br \>
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| − | It wasn't much of a battle either. The enemy were scattered goats and antmen and such, I think. You could hear the sounds of fighting all around but couldn't see anyone. They may have been up on the cliffs, or down in the valley, but they weren't here.<br \>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150slate|Slate in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| | + | In which Nish encounters civilization again.<br \> |
| | <br \> | | <br \> |
| − | Finally comeone came for me. Some Dwarf whose name I didn't catch, though he said he was a Guard, came down the hillside and dragged me into the mountain home Äkimkulet. He could have been a lot less rough as he did really drag me over the floor a number of times; even let gravity help me down a floor of stairs, though I didn't end up hurt. Strange entrance - it was much longer than it was wide, creating the impression of a giant trough. On the way, another Guard - they were dressed the same - helped the first guide me. After descending two floors, I was brought to some dead-end corner to the Dwarven King. I think he was the King. He had either a crown or a pot on his head (it's hard to tell with the lighting). I had a pot on my head, so maybe he was another me, but the way he spoke was definitely noble. "<i>I don't give a hoary marmot's teat about what your name is</i>" pretty much confirmed he was a noble, and I know I wasn't a noble. If I were, I probably wouldn't have woken up on a battelfield with a headache. Then, as if being brought before the King wasn't enough of a surprise, he then told me to go kill a dragon.<br \>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150felsite|Felsite in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| − | <br \>
| + | In which Nish explores a Human civilization on struggling legs.<br \> |
| − | A dragon! I only woke up ten minutes ago by this point.<br \>
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| − | They shoved a piece of paper in my hand and tossed me out. Of the whole mountainhome, then refused to let me back in!<br \>
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| − | I swear I woke up only ten minutes ago.<br\>
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| − | <b>3 Granite</b><br \>
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| − | After some searching I've been finding various strewn body parts all around this mountainhome, though I can't tell from what. These must be leftovers of former points in the battle that I still hear going on around me but can't find. Also found a couple of pieces of finely crafted armor without a Dwarf to wear them. You'd think people would be decent enough not to ruin good metalworking like this. I gathered up as much of it as I could find and tried to bring it back to Äkimkulet. There were also some stale rations strewn about all over the place - meat mostly. They were far beyond edible so I left them to finish rotting, to save the good people of Äkimkulet some stench. As I forgot to expect, I didn't get into entrance as there was some kind of party at the base of the ramp, with five Dwarves of various practices standing around and talking. I don't think they heard me over the continued sounds of fighting from outside because they continued to stand there even after I asked them to let me pass. If they weren't going to let me in to return their armor, then I decided I'd keep it myself! I don't need it, so I'll just sell it to someone else.<br\>
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| − | <b>4 Granite</b><br \>
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| − | Two suits of armor are heavy.<br\>
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| − | <b>?? Granite</b><br \>
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| − | I've lost track of the day by the time writing this entry. I've explored the south of this valley a lot of discover that I'm, boxed mostly in, save for a northern passage. Why did we Dwarves settle here? There's no magma, just brooks for water, and it's rather frigid. Seems like we were randomly dropped here. That's just probably wishful thinking - makes me feel better about waking up on a battlefield without knowing how I got there. The dragon fits into this analogy somewhere.<br \>
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| | <br \> | | <br \> |
| − | Speaking of the dragon, I've been looking at this map enough to realize that this is a map of the region where <i>the dragon is</i> not where <i>I am</i>. A lot of good that does me. I could use some fresh food to eat, just like in the bake sale that was being advertised on this flier I was given. I'm not sure why they wanted me to know about a two-week ago bake sale but it must be important if they'd write about it on the back of the map. Maybe they mean "food near the dragon cave."<br\>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150hematite|Hematite in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
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| + | In which Nish seeks the advice of a Demon and is asked to perform a task.<br \> |
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| − | <b>?? Granite (day after last entry)</b><br \>
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| − | I've given it some thought. If I'm going to be fighting a dragon, I'm ill-equipped to attack it. At close range that thing would kill me for sure, and I don't have a crossbow. I have to practice throwing stuff and hope I knock it unconscious first.<br \>
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| − | Having said that, though, I just threw a rock, it accidentally hit a mountain lion, but the thing didn't fall unconscious.<br \>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150malachite|Malachite in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| | + | In which Nish completes his mundane task and starts on a lead to the location of his dragon.<br \> |
| | <br \> | | <br \> |
| − | | + | <font size="+1">[[/150galena|Galena in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| − | <b>????</b><br \> | + | In which Nish explores the Amareromi ocean shores, but to no success.<br \> |
| − | Okay, I've completely lost track of the date, and I think the month rolled over while I wasn't looking. For the sake of consistency, just think of this entry as 1 Slate.<br \>
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| − | It's really bugging me, not knowing the date; and it might make this journal look sloppy. I've tried asking all the Mist Flayers I've run into about the date but all they want to do is sting me. So I hack them away with that falchion I picked up back at Äkimkulet. Jerks. This morning I also ran into a cougar but it wouldn't give me the date either.<br \>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150limestone|Limestone in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| | + | In which Nish enlists the help of the Dyansauri.<br \> |
| | <br \> | | <br \> |
| − | There are a lot of jerks around here. I finally found civilization and was going to ask them about a date, but they started pelting me with arrows and chasing after me with weapons. Dark Goblins are jerks.<br \>
| + | <font size="+1">[[/150sandstone|Sandstone in the Age of Heroes, 150]]</font><br \> |
| | + | TBA<br \> |
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| − | </font>
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| | | | |
| − | == Slate in the Age of Heroes, 150 ==
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| − | <font face="Papyrus">
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| − | <b>25 Slate</b><br \>
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| − | I finally reached civilization! I know because they're willing to give me the date if I ask them! It's the High Elven town ... just call it Naturenight. I swear that's a terrible mangling of written language and I don't even think they can pronounce it. Whenever I ask I get "Naturenight" but no one will say the untranslated name out loud. At least they live in a real town and not out in the middle of nowhere like those other treehuggers.<br \>
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| − | I sold the second suit of armor to a shopkeep who said he sold foodstuff. I don't know how that worked. I also asked him, during the exchange, how he had so many coins when he had nothing to sell in his store. The shopkeep corrected me and pointed to the armor I had just sold him. I guess I can't argue with that. Steel probably is good for you if it contains so much iron.<br \>
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| − | I kept the falchion. It's good for asking Mist Flayers the date.<br \>
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| | </font> | | </font> |
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| − | == Felsite in the Age of Heroes, 150 ==
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| − | <font face="Papyrus">
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| − | <b>4 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | I still don't recognize where this map indicates; going on the vague instructions of "to the northeast of Äkimkulet" is hard to do when the only way to have gotten this far is to go all the way west, north, and southeast.<br \>
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| − | I came across a mountainhome in a land called Neathäe today and was eagerly anticipating some delicious Dwarven Ale. It'd be easy if there was another party at the entrance, so I could just grab a tankard without bothering anyone, even if I couldn't ask about the map. There was no party and it turns out there weren't even any Dwarves! HUMANS were living in the mountainhome of Bisäsoxunen'pëmupïgí! When I finally found someone in charge, an Elite Spearman, he had said they were going to settle in the area, discovered the fortress abandoned, and decided to make the best of it. Huh. They couldn't help me with my map, but said there were more formal human settlements to the east which might be able to. Since they didn't have any other problems I could help them with, I went on my way.<br \>
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| − | Good natured but strange sods. They were living in a Dwarf fortress and didn't even think to refurnish the place. It still lacked most of the essentials, like tables chairs and beds.<br \>
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| − | <b>12 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | By the time I stumbled into town I realized I was without my falchion. I must have lost it when playing with those werewolves back in the haunted moor a while back. They were surprisingly happy to see me and came up to pounce. As much as I like dogs, such weight would probably wind me badly so I had to dodge and decline them their initial hug. That didn't stop me from returning their hug and ... actually it doesn't matter. I wonder if this will be like one of those instances where you make friends with the animal and it comes to your rescue in the future; I've heard those things do happen in this world. I left them when they were tired enough to fall sleep so all went well, save for my sword. Fortunately, I was an Axedwarf by nature so all I had to do was pull out the replacement weapon.<br \>
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| − | Anyway, the town. Lershicasot in a place called Bopûnühìlpëdû. Bopûnühìlpëdû. I wanted to tell them they missed making that first "o" in the name special, but thought it might be too snide. I found the mead hall easy enough - it was near the temple - but just after entering there lots of strange sounds come from outside: stuff falling, mostly, and people swooning. I stepped back out to watch a group of children move past and, to my surprise, there was a whole lot of fish-related food stuff dropped along the ground. Right at my feet was a mussel. I couldn't understand for the life of me what it was with people and wasting food like this. I collected all of the strewn food from he ground, following a trail that went all around the temple, with the intention of putting it on the tables in the mead hall.<br \>
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| − | While doing that, I found the source of the swooning. There was a priest lying on the ground, barely conscious, but he got up and started walking away soon afterwards (I heard another thud after that, indicating he collapsed again, but I didn't see it). There was also a priestess nearby who was having trouble keeping her gloves on and was falling down all the same. I asked her if I could take her to a bed so she might rest. At first she asked me a bit closer because I thought she was hard of hearing, but even right next to her and asking if I could be of Service, she instead did some kind of laying on of hands thing and pronounced me some kind of servant of Nato now. She completely misunderstood what I was talking about--and then collapsed again.<br \>
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| − | She didn't look hurt but I carried her over to the mead hall anyway and put her in a bed there. It's at this point I'm writing now and it's at this point I'm going to retire until the morning.<br \>
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| − | <b>13 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | The next morning I went and found someone in charge, an elite crossbowman named Dacap Kaspisha. He identified himself as a "Servant of War," which seemed a bit intimidating, but less intimidating than the children from Bisäsoxunen'pëmupïgí and High Elves of Naturelight who called themselves "Servants of Death." I swear the world was getting far too violent for my tastes despite all evidence pointing to me being an Axedwarf now off to kill a dragon.<br \>
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| − | Dacap said that he didn't recognize my map but there was a cartographer in some town to the east that would surely be able to help me. Also, we had a brief discussion about the priestess (and the priest). The priest just wants attention apparently, but the priestess faints due to her patronage of Nato. It turns out Nato is a god of war, which would make me a Servant of War. That must mean there must also be a death god to which other people were Servants? No wonder this world is too violent. Where's the god of good Dwarven Ale? Dacap also helped me come to terms with my least obvious problem.<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "So you're here to kill a dragon?"<br \>
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| − | Me: "Yeah."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "But you don't know it's name or where it lives?"<br \>
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| − | Me: "Not precisely, but that's what the map is for."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "The Dwarven King gave you this quest."<br \>
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| − | Me: "It could have been his cook."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "And you don't know why the dragon needs to be killed--"<br \>
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| − | Me: "Isn't that the sort of thing you do to dragons? I think the King said something about it killing someone else ..."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "Killing who else?"<br \>
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| − | Me: "I don't know. It just sounds like something a dragon would do."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "Half way across the world?"<br \>
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| − | Me: "I traveled half way across the world to get here and I'm no dragon."<br \>
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| − | Dacap: "And they didn't give you anything more than a blood-covered axe to do it with?"<br \>
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| − | Me: "Oh, no. I already had the axe. It just wasn't blood-covered at the time."<br \>
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| − | I needed a bath. Thanks, Dacap; I think I might have not realized how badly I was presenting myself to other people. I must look like a barbarian right now, covered with such gunk. Dwarves pride themselves with how deeply they get in their work, but I do understand how outsider races value being well groomed. Actually, if it were a normal Elf, he'd probably be muddier than me, well-dressed for him. I vowed to take a bath the first stream I found.<br \>
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| − | <b>16 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | I came across a town named Malstralulu. It was an odd sort of place as it had no population, save for one person up in the mead hall who couldn't help me much anyway.<br \>
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| − | <b>17 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | Another town, this time Batowocgi, TradedGuards. On one hand the town had a population, a fact for which I was grateful as I had started getting very lonely. On the other hand, I was irked that they were all Children! The whole population of the town were adolescent High Elves and Bugbears! Even the lone shopkeep was a Child. I didn't understand who such a society worked and, for that matter, I doubt they did either. They weren't very talkative or helpful but a single Bugbear Child who did give me a bit more than just laughs and skipping away claimed to be one year old. I hoped he wasn't the cartographer I was looking for and I was quite happy that, despite his ability speak at one year of age, he didn't know what cartography was.<br \>
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| − | Come to think of it, I hadn't seen any wagons for quite some while. I couldn't and didn't want to leave this town of children on their own, but I had to tell someone in the civilized world about this place. Mass adoption in the works, I guess.<br \>
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| − | In my boredom, I tried talking to this Nato person. I wasn't quite sure how I was going to go about this and ultimately decided I would address my axe, since a weapon is a symbol of war. Nato wasn't much of a talker and didn't reply to anything I said sadly. I eventually stopped trying, hoping that I might coax him into inquisitively saying something first to see if I was still listening. I couldn't trick him. He was very good at playing this game.<br \>
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| − | <b>20 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | You'd never imagine how happy I was when I stumbled across a cave today! Dragons live in caves! Perhaps my journey was finally coming to an end, but I still didn't feel prepared to face a dragon. Even so, I went closer to search.<br \>
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| − | There were trinkets and inexpensive jewelry all around the ground near the entrance. Earrings and amulets as far as the eyes could see. I thought for a moment that this might be a home being founded by some well-to-do Dwarves. They were rather sloppy people though leaving all their things in the ground, not even in a stockpile, outside the entrance to the cave. I proceeded to pick up everything I could find, including some berries that weren't attached to plants and some food and fish, hoping to help them a little. I drank some Longland Beer I found out of temptation and hoped they wouldn't mind. It tasted great. It's been two months since I had proper alcohol that even the bits of dirt that had gotten into it wouldn't spoil my enjoyment.<br \>
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| − | Update: Never mind me, this place isn't any future Dwarven mountainhome. And it's no dragon cave either. The walls are too sandy and the passages too narrow. It's the home of swarming Cave Crabs as far as the eye can see. It's just a mess. I explored the whole place in hopes of finding a dragon's den - whatever they look like, mind you - but was lacking in all my expectations. The crabs wouldn't let me be so I had to knock most of them about until they ran away. I met another intractable--something or other down there named Aleæaæaädöa. Really ugly thing thing, whatever it was. It lashed out at me from around a blind corner and nearly took my arm off. Caught my axe into its flesh for quite a bit and struggled with the thing as its claws bounced off my steel armor and I tried to get my axe out of it. Eventually I maimed it enough that it bleed to death. I still don't know what it was. It's terribly terribly ugly, that's all I know. I stuffed the corpse into my backpack and planned to ask the next Butcher or Ranger I met what an Aleæaæaädöa is and how you can get away with more than one "æ" in your name.<br \>
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| − | The caves were a bust. The beer's good though.<br \>
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| − | <b>21 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | I came across the ruins of a town. Just the gutted remains of house with no one living in them, really, most of the walls and roofs taken down and the floors ripped away. I couldn't tell if this was caused by a pillaging or a drought or famine leading to everyone moving away, but I think I was starting to understand what those humans in Bisäsoxunen'pëmupïgí meant about making the best of things.<br \>
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| − | <b>22 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | I've found yet another abandoned, rundown town. The only difference between this one and the one yesterday was this still had furniture, though it was all broken nonetheless. The good news is no one to bury.<br \>
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| − | <b>23 Felsite</b><br \>
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| − | I returned to Lershicasot after having turned back from the cave. The first point of order was to rush to the temple, catch the priestess before she collapsed again, and carry her to the mead hall. I didn't see the priest but he probably collapsed somewhere too. Then I ent upstairs and talked to Dacap again, telling him about the other nearby towns I had been to. Apparently, one of the two towns I had found abandoned was intentionally abandoned a long time ago, but the other definitely shouldn't have been abandoned like I had found it. He said he'd get some guards together personally and go to Batowocgi to help the children, but he didn't know what was up with Malstralrulu and it's lone occupant. Somehow two bustling communities had vanished under his nose and the third was supplanted by children, some of whose names he recognized. I volunteered to give more assistance but Dacap said it'd be alright.<br \>
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| − | He also confirmed that at least one of those abandoned towns should have contained the cartographer I was looking for, a Trade Diplomat by profession, and not being able to find him like this put me into a serious pickle. Dacap didn't know of any of places east of here personally and he didn't think anyone else in town did.<br \>
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| − | He did tell me a bit about the corpse of Aleæaæaädöa that I was carrying around. Not much mind you since he didn't like the thing, I think, but he said it was a Deinonychus and that they were very dangerous normally. Now that the ichor has crusted a bit, it kind of reminds me of a Lizardman but not as upright walking and with a longer snout. Dacap was quite surprised that I had killed it so easily, and commented that, if I were interested in selling the corpse, it would be paid for very well by the local shopkeep Aredas Ramul. I think I'll hold onto it for now that it doesn't bleed badly or smell as poorly, but just for a while longer. Maybe until I explain how an eleven foot corpse can be folded into such a tiny backpack.<br \>
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| − | Dacap was rather worried about me the first time I had left in search of the dragon. He looked much more confident as I left town this time. He even un-pinched his nose while I was around.<br \>
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| − | </font>
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| − | == Hematite in the Age of Heroes, 150 ==
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| − | <font face="Papyrus">
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| − | <b>2 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I have been traveling east from Lershicasot and find myself at the shore of an ocean. I can go no further east until they invent boats. The mist is nice though.<br \>
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| − | <b>14 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I had washed the blood and ichor stains off my armor and weapons quite well, with the emerging problem that I am now soaking wet. Also, there is a blood stain on my right pants leg that refuses to come out. At least I'm not far down south still or else I'd probably freeze. The mist is nice though, like I said.<br \>
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| − | I only mention the ocean I encountered two weeks ago because today I stand at the foot of another ocean! I decided to head as far north as I could from the shore and I have encountered even more water, just as salty as the last. I was hoping the swamp I passed through had more interesting things in it but I only met Wasps and Mist Flayers.<br \>
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| − | <b>16 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I was accosted by two more of those Deinonychus creatures again today while I was about to sit down and rest on a stump. When not confined to tight regions they have incredible speed! They came out of the foliage like lightning and, were it not for my armor, I'd most likely have lost a great deal in that first swipe. Additionally, the two of them proved very difficult to handle at the same time, and my speed wasn't sufficient to keep distance. I was relieved that one pounced on me because that forced the other to leave me be while his friend had his way. They crouch like birds, they do, but look like lizards! Their claws are also terrible things to behold, long and curled and sharp. Those claws tore at my exposed clothing and I do believe its grasp dented my armor! I stunned it and threw it off, then proceeded to strangle his friend who I surprised with an axe to the face. After bleeding to death, I made swift work of his still-stunned friend. I can see why Dacap was surprised that I had made short work of the first one; these two tired me easily and I'm certian a third would have stolen something of mine that does not gorw back before I had slain it.<br \>
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| − | Remembering what Aredas said about their value, I cleaned the monsters as best I could and stuffed their corpses into my sack. I, just five feet from head to sole, am now carrying around three heavy eleven foot tall corpses in a fire beetle chitin backpack on my back. This shouldn't be possible. This shouldn't be possible.<br \>
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| − | <b>17 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | Scrap my original idea, I just discovered the horrible truth. Both the first and second oceans are one and the same, boxing me in to the north and to the west. I'm stuck.<br \>
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| − | I sat to consult my resources. I wasn't wounded. I still had a lot of good meat from that cave I stumbled upon and things to drink. I could avoid having to double back to Lershicasot for now and try going around the shore until I found somewhere, but I didn't know which way to head. If I headed along the northern shore, I'd be heading further into the swamps of the Deinonychus heading NW; if I followed the western shore I'd be retreading some of the places I had already passed and would be heading SE. I thought of asking Nato again but like before he was quite silent.<br \>
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| − | <b>18 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I decided to flip one of my coins, calling "tails" for northward. I didn't realize until after I flipped it that the coin had two identical sides with a head shape on it. They apparently had an image of Nato on it. Maybe he wasn't such a strong silent type after all ... ?<br \>
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| − | <b>24 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I encountered the first real civilization in quite some time but was very wary as it was a dark fortress, admired for its obsidian walls and floors but reviled for their attraction to unsavory races. I'm told they are unsavory anyway. They kill kittens or something. Being the target of arrows suggested the last dark fortress didn't like me, but not that they were evil or unsavory. Undaunted in my thoughts I approached cautiously eager to see any kind of people interacting. I was quite happy, in afterthought, that it didn't attack me. The Bugbears of Shorethfufud paid little interest in me actually, save for the Guards who understandably were doing their job. Many many children (they must breed like rabbits) simply sprinted past me after one another, and other Bugbears of trade professions mill about the perform their own tasks. Bugbears are rather tall so perhaps they don't see just me as much a threat. To make sure I didn't give off those kinds of vibes, I kept Nato in my belt and the Deinonychu corpses in my pack.<br \>
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| − | I met with Macelord Tutuyayum Inceststeps to ensure there was no misunderstandings. It took quite some time to find him: if a single Dwarven mountainhome could be nebulous under the hands of many architects, dark fortresses tend to be worse under the guidance of fewer. They have an incredible number of dead ends and everything eventually starts looking the same. There were three obsidian towers in Shorethfufud to go through so I was very relieved to encounter the Macelord after having finished searching the first tower; just one of the towers built up a good thirst. Tutuyayum was not incredibly interested in my reasoning for seeking him out, apparently confident that I was not going to harm or steal anything. He could have been less rude about it though - Dwarves hate being called "short person."<br \>
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| − | Eagerly, I asked him if he could help with finding the location on my map. Tutuyayum peered at it for a few seconds, turned the parchment over to read the back, rotated it to look at it upside down, then folded it back up and returned it. He said he couldn't help but, perhaps, their Bugbear leader could. He told me to head to the Bugbear capital city Malignedtepid just a day southwest of Shorethfufud and seek out the Demon Drurumuth Sizzleheats. After that, he shoved past down the hallway, back to whatever he was doing, and I found this dry corner to sleep in for the evening.<br \>
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| − | Aren't Demons supposed to be more ferocious than dragons?<br \>
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| − | <b>27 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | Malignedtepid! The second in command here is Master Lasher Futumafat <strike>Sato</strike>TormentLizards but she wasn't very much help. I think maybe she was like the priestess back in Lershicasot because she was lying unconscious on the ground. Three towers. One demon. Could it really be that hard?<br \>
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| − | <font size="-3"><i>yes, it is</i></font><br \>
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| − | <b>28 Hematite</b><br \>
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| − | I met the Demon this morning, more by chance than good planning.<br \>
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| − | I had finished searching the first tower yesterday and slept in the lobby of the second tower last night. When I was going outside to get a quick stretch without blocking traffic, I rounded the corner and saw it. At first I didn't even realize what it was that I was looking at: a burning tree, a massive blob of molten slag, a giant firefly. It cast the shadow of other Bugbears onto the walls of the towers. For a moment, I squinted at it for some time before taking the only appropriate course of action and going to find something to drink. Mornings were always like that. Either you wake up on a battlefield or a cot or pumping magma. By the time I returned, though, the blazing thing was still there, prompting me to realize that there really was something there. The Bugbears just passed by it slowly, even if they had to skid to a stop first, with their heads lowered. I had to agree with them, it was impossible to look at the thing, let alone the ground beneath its feet.<br \>
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| − | That was when I realized that, through all the haze and fire, it <i>did</i> have the form of feet silhouetted and swayed by the heat. Legs, something of a body, but my eyes couldn't travel any further. It was too bright to make out carefully and see. Then there was the heat: it felt like a miserable dry desert at midday - did I mention I passed through one of those? - or a magma forge deep in the bowels of a well-to-do Dwarven fortress even at this distance. I went to take a sip from my water skin only to find it had already dried up in the heat; with little to bide the renewed thirst I decided I would get closer.<br \>
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| − | Getting closer was much more difficult than it initially seemed. As quickly as I approached did it get hotter and no matter how slowed by the heat my feet moved id it ever stop getting hotter. <strike>It was as dry as sand.</strike>I already used a desert metaphor. It was overwhelming, practically forcing me down to my knees just to get closer. I drew Nato and held it before me to shield my face and beard from the intense burning light, to see even its steely blade glow. By the time I was down on one knee just to support myself and still trying to get closer, <strike>a voice</strike> <strike>the sound of</strike> I was <b><i>told</i></b> that I had gotten close enough and to speak.<br \>
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| − | I tried to introduce myself and explain who prescribed I come here and ask the Demon Drurumuth. I had to speak slowly, with much difficulty, because my mouth became dry and parched easily and my breath vanishing as fast as it could muster. After mentioning the dragon but before I could pull the map, I was <b><i>told</i></b> that I had said enough and that stifled any voice I had. I waited in the stifling ferocity for some time in silence; I was about to draw back when I was <b><i>told</i></b> things again. I was <b><i>told</i></b> that the request I was being given was spoken for by all of Malignedtepid, that I was to kill a wolf named Routedrhymed in a place called Strifefulgloomy the Abysses of Heat. It had killed one of their own named Bresh. If I did this, I was <b><i>told</i></b>, I would learn where the dragon I sought "plundered." Then silence again.<br \>
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| − | It took me some time to get to a distance that was bearable and a few drinks to relax myself completely. My knees were still weak from the encounter and suddenly the normal day felt cold, like Akïmkulet. Futumafat came up to me eventually and handed me a sheet of paper, charred at the edges, the map to Strifegloomy I assumed. It dawned on me as soon as I saw the map that I had already seen the place I was going! It was a small delta on the southern shore of that "second ocean" I had seen before! There must have been a cave there. I was about to ask Futumafat but she was already unconscious.<br \>
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| − | Now that I think about it, didn't someone say something about making deals with Demons before? Good luck, I think?<br \>
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| − | </font>
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| − | == Malachite in the Age of Heroes, 150 ==
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