Let's go find a dragon

[Knight of Iron]

Just now, Condensation said:

"Enough. I've been there, learned about it."

“Surely not the actual city of dragons, or you’d not be here today!” He chuckled. “They don’t have much tolerance for human visitors. Did you get to meet one?”

[Condensation]

"Not the city, no. And no, I didn't meet a dragon."

[Knight of Iron]

2 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"Not the city, no. And no, I didn't meet a dragon."

“A shame. Beautiful creatures, they are, almost otherworldly! I’ve seen them turn entire armies into ash. Typically why we leave them alone, I believe.”

He cleared his throat. “But we’ve gotta break right into their center.”

[Condensation]

7 minutes ago, Knight of Iron said:

“A shame. Beautiful creatures, they are, almost otherworldly! I’ve seen them turn entire armies into ash. Typically why we leave them alone, I believe.”

He cleared his throat. “But we’ve gotta break right into their center.”

"Of course we do. What's it for again?"

[S4S]

1 hour ago, Isabelle6060 said:

“Ni?” Cara carefully walked over to him and knelt on the floor beside him. She comfortingly set a hand on his back. Although she feared this was just a strange dream, she asked. “What’s wrong?” 

Feeling Cara’s hand comfortingly across his back, Ni stopped shaking his head as he immediately froze in place. Through all the pain and the tempest of feelings that tore through Ni, somehow Cara’s simple gesture stood firm as an anchor in his storm of emotions. The feelings that bore him down still remained, but at least Ni knew that he wasn't completely lost to them.

When had he ever deserved such kindness?

Clenching his hands into fists, Ni sought to find whatever fragments of courage remained within him. Although he continued to kneel in the puddle at his feet, Ni slowly pushed himself upright to sit on his knees. He didn’t have the strength to meet Cara’s eyes, but perhaps Ni could guide his shattered bravery elsewhere.

Reaching inside his oversized coat, Ni pulled a small notebook from a pocket sewn inside his jacket, hidden in the same place where he had been holding his hand to his chest only moments before.

The book was fairly small in size; no more than a handspan tall and just over half a handspan wide. It was made of a worn but simple leather cover which held a set of thin pages that had turned coarse and yellow with the passage of time. Strangely though, nearly three quarters of the notebook’s pages were bound together by a delicate looping of thin string that was wound around the pages from top to bottom. The strands that tied the pages together had become slightly frayed though, indicating that the pages and their secrets within had been sealed for some time now. That only left a handful of pages at the back of the book remained unbound to be openly read.

Flipping the notebook over in his hands to reveal the back cover, Ni hesitated for a moment as he brushed his thumb across the old leather backing. It felt as though an eternity passed as Ni held the book in his unsteady hands.

Finally finding the courage to do so, Ni held his breath as he opened the notebook.

The very last page of the book had dark lines drawn across it in what appeared to be a drawing of sorts, but Ni moved quickly past it without pausing. The next few pages though were empty, with no words nor markings on any portion of them. Continuing through the unbound pages in reverse order though, Ni turned each page faster and faster, anxiety rising within him right up to where he stopped on a set of marked pages.

With trembling hands, Ni hesitated momentarily before turning the notebook for Cara to see.

The open pages of the notebook revealed dozens of vertical lines that had been drawn with a mysterious dark ink. It quickly became clear that the lines were tally marks, as all of the lines were clustered together into groups of five as they spread across the pages.

There were one hundred and thirty-six bold tally marks…

…and Ni’s one hundred and thirty-seventh mark still hadn’t finished drying yet.

[Trutharchivist]

6 hours ago, Knight of Iron said:

The barkeeper seemed unfazed by the man's urgency. He turned around and opened a door back, then called. "Get some of 'em chickens we killed this mornin', and keep 'em raw." Then he turned to the somewhat canine man. "Roy's gettin' it, but you're going to have to show me some coin."

The Wolfson pulled a small bag from his pocket and threw it on the bar. He pulled one copper coin out of it. "I have some of those."

_______________________________________

Jonathan the ghost understood the basics and went back from the kitchen to the library, complaining about people ignoring him. He then told Sef of what he saw.

Sef sat there, dumbfounded. He shook his head. "The boy was physically dead. Completely. He still was connected somehow to his Ideal aspect, though... That is a peculiarity to research, I believe. But..." He looked out the eastern window. It was still generally dark, but it won't be long before sunrise. He frowned, and decided that he'll work on that later. Meanwhile, he said: "Jonathan, go see if Mistress Valzwyn's group needs help with anything."

12 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"The ghosts, I guess."

 

6 hours ago, Knight of Iron said:

"I don't think she'd be screaming about the ghosts. We ought to go check."

Oswald went on his way, but Jonathan came to the room. Need anything, Miss Valzwyn?

[Channelknight Fadran]

"It'd be nice if Ni were still here, but I guess you can't help with that."

[Trutharchivist]

24 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"It'd be nice if Ni were still here, but I guess you can't help with that."

Boy died yesterday? Asked the ghost. In the kitchen. Sef confused. Weird.

[Channelknight Fadran]

"What?" Val mentally translated the ghost's minimized language, her eyes slowly widening. Without a word, she bolted downstairs to find the kitchen.

[Knight of Iron]

14 hours ago, Condensation said:

"Of course we do. What's it for again?"

Exodus smiled. "Glad you asked; I haven't fully explained it. As the prophecy, which you both have heard, has said, there's a dragon. What we actually need out of this dragon is information—on how to save the worlds. The safety pin which holds the Realms together is finally coming loose, after a thousand years, and that son of an orc kept the secret of how to fix it until very, very recently."

11 hours ago, Trutharchivist said:

The Wolfson pulled a small bag from his pocket and threw it on the bar. He pulled one copper coin out of it. "I have some of those."

The barkeeper swiped it. "That'll get ya something, at least." His assistant came from behind the door a second later, with some chicken legs, which he set on the counter.

"Eyo, boss? Whacha didja wan' em' raw fo'?"

24 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"What?" Val mentally translated the ghost's minimized language, her eyes slowly widening. Without a word, she bolted downstairs to find the kitchen.

Orpheus raced after her.

[Trutharchivist]

6 minutes ago, Knight of Iron said:

The barkeeper swiped it. "That'll get ya something, at least." His assistant came from behind the door a second later, with some chicken legs, which he set on the counter.

"Eyo, boss? Whacha didja wan' em' raw fo'?"

The Wolfson snatched the chicken legs and started eating them immediately. After finishing, he puts some more coins on the counter and says: "More."

34 minutes ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"What?" Val mentally translated the ghost's minimized language, her eyes slowly widening. Without a word, she bolted downstairs to find the kitchen.

 

9 minutes ago, Knight of Iron said:

Orpheus raced after her.

Jonathan flies after them.

Quote

Who else is there? Cara is already at the kitchen, Talnic is still getting ready for his powerwalk, and I guess he won't appear for now since Tesh seems busy, Rylan is gone, perhaps for similar reasons, and... Is there someone I forgot?

Oh, right. What about Velia (is that her name? Random's character)? I'll tag Random.

@Random Bystander?

[Isabelle6060]

15 hours ago, S4S said:

Feeling Cara’s hand comfortingly across his back, Ni stopped shaking his head as he immediately froze in place. Through all the pain and the tempest of feelings that tore through Ni, somehow Cara’s simple gesture stood firm as an anchor in his storm of emotions. The feelings that bore him down still remained, but at least Ni knew that he wasn't completely lost to them.

When had he ever deserved such kindness?

Clenching his hands into fists, Ni sought to find whatever fragments of courage remained within him. Although he continued to kneel in the puddle at his feet, Ni slowly pushed himself upright to sit on his knees. He didn’t have the strength to meet Cara’s eyes, but perhaps Ni could guide his shattered bravery elsewhere.

Reaching inside his oversized coat, Ni pulled a small notebook from a pocket sewn inside his jacket, hidden in the same place where he had been holding his hand to his chest only moments before.

The book was fairly small in size; no more than a handspan tall and just over half a handspan wide. It was made of a worn but simple leather cover which held a set of thin pages that had turned coarse and yellow with the passage of time. Strangely though, nearly three quarters of the notebook’s pages were bound together by a delicate looping of thin string that was wound around the pages from top to bottom. The strands that tied the pages together had become slightly frayed though, indicating that the pages and their secrets within had been sealed for some time now. That only left a handful of pages at the back of the book remained unbound to be openly read.

Flipping the notebook over in his hands to reveal the back cover, Ni hesitated for a moment as he brushed his thumb across the old leather backing. It felt as though an eternity passed as Ni held the book in his unsteady hands.

Finally finding the courage to do so, Ni held his breath as he opened the notebook.

The very last page of the book had dark lines drawn across it in what appeared to be a drawing of sorts, but Ni moved quickly past it without pausing. The next few pages though were empty, with no words nor markings on any portion of them. Continuing through the unbound pages in reverse order though, Ni turned each page faster and faster, anxiety rising within him right up to where he stopped on a set of marked pages.

With trembling hands, Ni hesitated momentarily before turning the notebook for Cara to see.

The open pages of the notebook revealed dozens of vertical lines that had been drawn with a mysterious dark ink. It quickly became clear that the lines were tally marks, as all of the lines were clustered together into groups of five as they spread across the pages.

There were one hundred and thirty-six bold tally marks…

…and Ni’s one hundred and thirty-seventh mark still hadn’t finished drying yet.

Cara looked at the notebook. She sensed that the stuff on the page was important, but it didn't make any sense to her.

"What do the tally marks mean?" She asked hesitantly. 

[S4S]

2 hours ago, Isabelle6060 said:

"What do the tally marks mean?" She asked hesitantly.

"Have you ever died before?" Ni asked quietly.

[Knight of Iron]

5 hours ago, Trutharchivist said:

The Wolfson snatched the chicken legs and started eating them immediately. After finishing, he puts some more coins on the counter and says: "More."

Roy, having watched the man eat in amazement, entered the back again and came out with four more chicken legs, which he threw on a brass plate that he slid along the countertop. He pinched the coins off the counter. "Qui' the appeti' there! Wha's your name?"

The barkeeper had begun kneading some dough, making the strange meal Exodus had requested.

3 hours ago, Isabelle6060 said:

Cara looked at the notebook. She sensed that the stuff on the page was important, but it didn't make any sense to her.

"What do the tally marks mean?" She asked hesitantly. 

6 hours ago, Channelknight Fadran said:

"What?" Val mentally translated the ghost's minimized language, her eyes slowly widening. Without a word, she bolted downstairs to find the kitchen.

Orpheus slowed down as he reached the bottom of the stairs. He looked to Val, a bit confused. "Which way?"

[Isabelle6060]

1 hour ago, S4S said:

"Have you ever died before?" Ni asked quietly.

You can talk?! Cara thought, slightly amazed.

"No...Is that how many times you've...died?" Cara asked. "That must be awful."

[S4S]

23 minutes ago, Isabelle6060 said:

"No...Is that how many times you've...died?" Cara asked. "That must be awful."

Solemnly closing the notebook while dropping his hands in his lap, Ni slowly nodded.

[Condensation]

9 hours ago, Knight of Iron said:

Exodus smiled. "Glad you asked; I haven't fully explained it. As the prophecy, which you both have heard, has said, there's a dragon. What we actually need out of this dragon is information—on how to save the worlds. The safety pin which holds the Realms together is finally coming loose, after a thousand years, and that son of an orc kept the secret of how to fix it until very, very recently."

"And we're here to get you into the city so you can talk to the dragon, which is of a species that has been known to torch towns wantonly?"

[Knight of Iron]

10 minutes ago, Condensation said:

"And we're here to get you into the city so you can talk to the dragon, which is of a species that has been known to torch towns wantonly?"

"Pretty much," Exodus agreed, "This specific dragon is a bit old, senile, and insane. It's going to be a heck of a time getting anything out of it. Then, once we know what to do, we'll be off to fix the Realms."

Quote

Ara can jump into the conversation, too, if she wants.

 

[Condensation]

Just now, Knight of Iron said:

"Pretty much," Exodus agreed, "This specific dragon is a bit old, senile, and insane. It's going to be a heck of a time getting anything out of it. Then, once we know what to do, we'll be off to fix the Realms."

"And the dragon knows this because..."

[Knight of Iron]

1 minute ago, Condensation said:

"And the dragon knows this because..."

"Because it was there when the... 'safety pin' was forged. And so it knows where it is, and it knows how to fix it. But it's gone crazy and can't actually fix it itself, nor is interested in doing so."

[Condensation]

"Understandable. One last thing... how far are we going?"

[Knight of Iron]

Just now, Condensation said:

"Understandable. One last thing... how far are we going?"

"Until the city, of course," he said, "Then wherever the knowledge takes us. This pin is remarkably well-hidden, and somehow it is impossible to find without prior knowledge of its location. At least, that is what I am forced to conclude. It could be very far, could be somehow beneath our noses." He doubted it was the last one. No amount of Ire could hide the very Connection between the fabric of the Realms.

[Condensation]

1 minute ago, Knight of Iron said:

"Until the city, of course," he said, "Then wherever the knowledge takes us. This pin is remarkably well-hidden, and somehow it is impossible to find without prior knowledge of its location. At least, that is what I am forced to conclude. It could be very far, could be somehow beneath our noses." He doubted it was the last one. No amount of Ire could hide the very Connection between the fabric of the Realms.

"How far is the city?"

[Knight of Iron]

Just now, Condensation said:

"How far is the city?"

"Month and a half's worth of travel, though I have a shortcut lined up for us that might shave a lot of that off. How come? Got somewhere to be? Someone to hide from?"

[Condensation]

Just now, Knight of Iron said:

"Month and a half's worth of travel, though I have a shortcut lined up for us that might shave a lot of that off. How come? Got somewhere to be? Someone to hide from?"

"Not necessarily. I just want to know how long I'll be gone."