[13th Age] A rather steep descent (IC)

[Shyftir]

Anvil started at the sight. "A rakshasa. I've only seen one once before. It was in chains and guarded by mighty warriors. The Blue herself carried out it's execution." The half-orc was visibly shaken. He might serve dragons and face cyclops' with confidence but the tiger-devils were another matter entirely.

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

"I've heard of them," Draven says. "I don't think that we can fight him and win. We might be able to deal with him, but it'll be difficult. Tell me, do you know of anyplace else this book may be found?"

[Teucros]

Spoiler: OOC

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Total schedule mess up . One more day, good people...thank you for your patience.

[Teucros]

"Our two copies are both in there" answers a voice.
"Didn't the Master of Ceremonies use to keep a copy of his own?"asks a second.
"Why, I think so. But the old warforged disappeared centuries ago,and the one who now claims the title is said to bow before the Efreet prince."
"It may have kept the book but it won't be helpful will it?".

The voices sound embarassed about their inability to be of more help.

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

"What do you think?" Draven asks the others. "Deal with this rakshasa, or try to find this new Master of Ceremonies?"

[Shyftir]

"If there is a way to proceed that doesn't involve tiger-fiends, I vote we go that way." Anvil's voice was a touch shaky, his past experience with rakshasa had clearly rattled him.

[Flower Girl]

Violet looked at the picture in the book closely. She was sure she studied this creature before, at least, sort of sure. If only she could remember...
"If we can avoid a costly battle, wouldn't that be better?"

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

"Root? What do you think?" Draven asks.

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

"Very well," Draven says. "Let's seek out this Master of Ceremonies. We will need to deal with these dwarf-forged sooner rather than later, while the rakshasa is safely trapped for now. I would just as soon not risk freeing the creature who brought down a greater city than ours."

[Flower Girl]

"Good point. The last thing this city needs is another disaster. So, where do we find this Master of ceremonies?"

[Teucros]

The voices speak almost simultaneously, as usual.

"Tradition dicates that the Master resides at the Creation Forge!"
"The forgeborn won't have changed that. It's their most sacred location."
" A holy place, it was...but to whom is it dedicated now?"
" It's in the deep city! Beyond the Marble Forest, at the end of the Avenue of the Craftsmen"
"You can't miss it"."
"It could be dangerous!"
"Yeah, better rest and prepare!"

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

"Good idea," Draven says. "We need to prepare for our next mission."

[Teucros]

The patrons of the Proud Mole Inn welcomed the dwarf Mythkenner again. Draven's beautiful voice and incredible harp brought wonder and awe, bittersweet nostalgia and sweet mirth, making the world just right for a little while. Song after song he sang, offering the bard's gift to the troubled Aspisians.

And then the dwarf-forged appeared. A true juggernaut, that one, towering over everyone, and almost as wide as the tower. Its armored body has been painted midnight and armed with vicious spikes. The cheers and talk stop abruptly as it walks to Draven.

"I heard that some of the vanished have returned. And now their sagas return too. One more, then, binder. Let's see how you return. Sing a song for my own people. If you still remember any.". it booms.

[Teucros]

Sparring with Algartha and then buying a few drinks was quite the enjoyable past time. Nothing too fancy-obligations had to be met, after all, duties adhered to, and some rest was needed. Still, Anvil's sleep was not without disturbance...

Eyes plagued his dreams-baleful green eyes, full of malice, scorn and cunning. Reptilian eyes, haughty and decadent. Two powerful wings were raised, a huge mouth opened and the green dragon roared.

Anvil woke up. It fekt too real to have been just a dream, while any Dragon Knight would have recognised the roar of the draconic challenge.

[Teucros]

Violet returned to the Lofquists' new residence to find it in an uproar. Rose-of-Sharon's left hand had suffered small burns while fighting the fire unleashed by the invaders.-nothing serious, and she took it in stride, but no member of the family could just accept that. Moreover, Egill has been arguing with his brothers in a deternied, almost enraged way.

"I simply must join the punitive force! Did they not invade us? Did they not attack our own? Both mother and Violet! Aspis will strike back, and w must join them!"

Anders remains celarly unconvinced. "Don't be an idiot, Eg! We can't just strike blindly like that. Why, the captain believes"

"Ooohhhh, right, the captain believes, and so we simply must follow through, right?" Egill answers back mockingly.

"It is not like this-"

"Oh, but it is'" counters Egll with the certainty of youth.

"Tyr's hand, Eg, we don't even know iwhether those we strive to puinish were responsible. We do not even know if they are even there, damn it!"

Both are getting angrier and angrier.

[Teucros]

Root manages to find some time alone in his privatehideout with Branch. The rat looks quite pleased at the food hoard slowly been created.

"Although, you know, we could have used a larger house. Not that anyone asks me..." mumbles Branch. "So...what 's the plan for later?"

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

Draven takes a sip of his drink as he looks the dwarf-forge over. "A song of the dwarf-forged? I know several," Draven says. "My favorite may not be one you know, but I hope that you'll appreciate it nonetheless."

He begins to sing "The Lay of Rustfoot and Hildegard", a song of the doomed love between a dwarf-forged and a dwarfmaid. It would usually not be his first choice, but he chooses it because the story gives Rustfoot a dignity that is often not apparent in some of the epics.

Spoiler

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Skald of Two Traditions - (1d20+9)[22] (assuming Charisma)

[Green Bean]

"Bigger houses means easier to find." Root added some corn kernels to his pockets for later. "Later? We keep helping the others. I've never been good at long term things. Always had to live moment to moment. I don't think that'll work here; you can only stash so much food."

[Flower Girl]

Violet interrupted the unusual argument with a loud, "I'm home! What's for dinner?" Without giving anyone time to reply, she handed Anders her heavy pack and Egill her shield, asking for their help so she could check Mother's burns. By constantly requesting their help with minor tasks, she kept them busy and away from each other. This would give her brothers time to calm down a little and give her a chance to corner them separately.

Since he was definitely the more volatile of the two, she started with Egill. Helping him carry a heavy mattress out to the balcony to be aired (just one night with Branch had made it need a deep cleaning), she broached the subject. "What were you arguing with Anders about? It's unlike you to fight like that."

[Teucros]

The Proud Mole's patrons are taken by surprise by Draven's choice. Still, the sad melody and well-chosen lyrics overtake every prejudice. As for the Dwarf-forged, it makes no comment until the tale of Rustfoot and Hildegard is done.

"Indeed, this is not a story I was aware of" it booms. "We have heard and seem many things of the vanished builders and binders, but this...this is something else".

It slowly rises. "I am Cutter, one of the Wardens Beyond the Forges. I was tasked to remove a singing menace. I'm having doubts about the truth behind that order, though."

[Teucros]

"It allowed us to survive so far" admits Branch. "Still, we could add more traps in a larger house."
Thoughtful silence.

"Strange tribes, fire spirits, people of metal, elves...they're all getting on my nerves"mumbles the familiar. "And who knows what other manifestation I'll get this time..."

[Teucros]

Egill seems embarassed, but only slightly, and definitely looks determined. "He still treats me like a kid, Violet! The council decided that we march against the dark elves and make them pay for what happened today. Every one of us has been aiding the city! How can I *not* fight? Especially after what happened to mom! Yes, it wasn't the elves, but still so many people want to kill us for just existing. They put fire into our city. They killed a council man and so many guards, including Rudi and Erilla! We must fight back, no?"

[Shyftir]

Anvil's mind was still vaguely fuzzy due to his suddenly wakeful state. "A... Green..?" They were nominally loyal to the Three, but with the whereabouts of their Broodlord unknown, the Greens were not generally trusted by the other dragon kindreds. As much as dragons ever trust anyone.

Anvil cleared his mind and refocused himself. If a rebel-wyrm was at work in this situation, there was no one better suited to defeat it than he.

[DSCrankshaw]

Draven - Dwarf Bard

Draven's heart beats a little faster when he hears the threat, but he does not rise from his seat. He checks to see that his axe is close by. "It seems to me that both our peoples have changed since mine left here," Draven says. "I have many more songs and stories about my people; I'd be interested in hearing some about yours."