Heroes' Hearth

[Recaiden]

Crix doesn't quite hide behind the anvil. But it's a near thing. That is quite a glare.
"You mean to VIGIL, the flying island that just left Inside? Bet they'd like to know you're alive, if nuthing else."
"Listen, you're right avoiding that. 'Away', like you were lost, not dead."
Okay, now she hides behind the anvil, wings curled up tight; there's no way the charr is going to like hearing that.

[Earl of Purple]

The Warforge Forge

"That's what makes a warsmith. Weapons like that cutlass, though they're usually too expensive to be worth making, unless it's a commission. The people who can afford weapons like that are the people who can afford to customise it. That one was my creator's master's piece. I'm more... Journeyman work. Built from spares lying around, mainly. An old suit of plate, a slab of bronze, and wood from the scaffolds around a tower being repaired." Frigate returns his weapon to his belt. He doesn't mind that he's made from spares, since if he wasn't made of spares, then chances are he wouldn't be who he is now.

[Morty]

[Forge]

Thariza's full set of teeth is visible now and she bends over the anvil, almost dropping to all fours.

"You had better explain how you know that, and quickly," she utters in a low, throaty growl.

[Recaiden]

"I was just told to tell it to you."
Crix squeaks, cowering behind the horn of the anvil.
"I don't know where it comes from, exactly."
That's still a pretty evasive answer.

[bc56]

Heroes' Rest

"It place for heroes who fight evil to rest. Want food? Get a cup and plate." Kothar gestures to a rack of dishes and an empty table, then calls out. "Who hungry? I get food!" Soon a small group of adventurers and acolytes are gathered around.

[Artemis97]

[Heroes' Rest]

Novus puts his helmet down on a nearby table and picks up a plate and cup, along with some utensils, returning to the fire where Kothar had been cooking. What had the lizardman made? Was it fit for human consumption?

"Heroes, huh? Don't know if I qualify for that, but any port in a storm."

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

Kothar makes no move. Instead, he folds his hands as if praying and says a few words. "Great Tlacua, mother of my people, bringer of life in the dead places, please provide us this night with food, so that we may continue to battle the forces of evil tomorrow." A warm glow fills the air around him, then spreads across the table. Food materializes on everyone's plates: bread and salt pork, and all the cups are filled with cold, clean water. "Thank you."

[Morty]

[Forge]

"Who told you-" Thariza pauses, calming down slightly. "The presence I felt here. It must have something to do with this. I followed it here."

[Artemis97]

Novus almost drops his plate as the food materializes on it. "Whoah! Whoah...Crows, how did you do that?"

[bc56]

Warriors' Rest

No one else seems to be as surprised as Novus. Kothar seems surprised by his reaction, however. He takes a moment to think. "It a gift from Tlacua, mother goddess, for many years of faithful service."

[Recaiden]

Crix carefully comes out from behind the anvil.
"Someone who comes by the island; I try not to know much about him."

"You're right, as it happens, Thariza. I happen to be basically omniscient."
There's that voice again, from just over her shoulder.

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

"That's some gift." Novus says, taking a bite of his food. Finding it palatable he quickly takes a few more, hungry.

"If the legions had someone who could do what you just did, it would solve a lot of problems."

[Morty]

[Forge]

"Then you can explain yourself or go **** yourself," Thariza growls. "But my patience for cryptic nonsense has run out."

[bc56]

Warriors' Rest

"It took years of worship and training. It not easy." Kothar smiles, proud of his accomplishments.

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

"Sounds a little like furycrafting." Novus says between bites. "Everyone has a knack for it, but to do really impressive stuff takes a lot of training."

[Recaiden]

"Then you can explain yourself or go **** yourself," Thariza growls. "But my patience for cryptic nonsense has run out."

"I-" Crix decides not to say anything about the outburst.

"Let me say that you won't understand any better if I really explain. And it only gets more cryptic from here."
"In short, I think you can help people. Do you want to help the world, Thariza?"
"And if you insist, I can try to answer a few questions."

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

"Fury... crafting?" Kothar is unfamiliar with the term.

[Morty]

[Forge]

"I'm not-" Thariza glances down at Crix. "I'm talking to the voice I was looking for." Looking up at... well, nothing, really, she says: "Yeah, I do insist. Please. You can start wherever you like."

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

"Furies are... elemental spirits we use to control our environment." Novus explains. "There's earth, wind, water, fire, wood, and metal furies. Most people can control at least one, usually two. The high lords can control all of them, and very powerfully, too."

[Recaiden]

1. The voice starts by ((if Morty doesn't object)) reciting events from Thariza's life. Things she regrets. People she's hurt.
   "But don't feel too bad. We all make mistakes."
2. "In the back of every empty warehouse, where you can't see who it is that's watching you from the rafters, there is a space that's scattered with sand that has become cold and meek. Sometimes, you can find a secret of creation there, one of thousands. But this one has been changed, reforged in the crucible of worlds. I have it, and it me."
3. "There are hidden and subtle ways to change the world, to make it last a little longer. This is the charge of separation. Unlike most, I have unlimited leave to pursue it, but for that reason there are certain things I cannot do myself."
   3.5 "I'm a real physical being who's using magical tricks to project my voice to you. Also to spy on you, not that I need to, because, again, omniscience."
4. "Now that you have heard the fourth thing, you must depart the island before sunrise, not to return for a month, or ruin will come to you. Sorry, I warned you that it wouldn't help!"
5. "There's something that needs to be done to avert disaster and someone vaguely similar to you needs to do it."

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

"That makes sense. I seen elementals before." Kothar doesn't add that he's killed elementals before too, he doesn't know Novus' opinions of them.

[Artemis97]

Warrior's Rest

No bus continues. "There's wild furies too, with no one to tame them. And great furies, they're incredibly powerful."

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

"Sounds right. We have natural elementals and elemental princes." Kothar really isn't sure what to say right now.

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

The legionare nods. "Well, I've got a place to sleep and a full belly." Novus says, finishing off the last of his meal, then draining back the remains of the water in his cup. "Maybe tomorrow, I can start looking for someone in charge around here, someone who can help me get home. Maybe they can help you too?" He wonders.

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

"I have something to do here first. I came here by choice." Kothar reaches out to shake Novus' hand. "Good luck."

[Morty]

[Forge]

Thariza is very thoroughly dumbfounded. None of this made any sense to her. At least this prevents her from feeling too angry about the voice telling her about how she led her entire warband to their deaths.

"That was less helpful than you might have hoped," she says. "What the rust do you want with me? To leave here? Why?"

[Recaiden]

The voice sounds a little sympathetic for Thariza's bafflement.
"Goodness, goodness, how do I explain? There's secret forces waging wars for the fate of civilization, clashing for glory, power, to carve the world. Honestly there's lots of layers of this. By making that amulet and speaking to Crix, you became involved. The more you know, the harder it will be to get back out when your little part has been played."
That might seem a little implausible. Why would a random design from a book for novice jewelry-forgers have a deeper occult significance? On the other hand, that's exactly where you would find something like that.

"I don't want you to leave, but I strongly recommend it. Staying will put you - and the island - in terrible danger."
'Rust', did she say? Oh, right, that comes from...

"Long story short, I need you to rescue a certain houseplant. It will prove to be key to saving many lives."

[Artemis97]

[Warrior's Rest]

Novus returns the gesture. "Thanks, good luck to you too, and thank you for the food." A soldier always appreciated a decent meal.

[Morty]

[Forge]

"This is starting to look more and more like someone is trying to play me for a fool," Thariza says. "But you do seem to know a lot, so I'll play along. For now."

[bc56]

Warrior's Rest

"You welcome. Maybe we meet again." Kothar leaves.