>>5683479Her amusement dips at little at the edge of her lips though, and her brow furrows, just a little.
“About my… When I was drunk. With Olu, ad your wife…”
Ah.
“I didn’t mean to offend you,” she apologizes. “Or… it was just a passing fancy.”
“Do not trouble yourself,” you reassure her. “I know it’s just your culture.”
There is a pause, and Jazkarmel laughs again, and shakes her head. Something about your response seems to amuse her further.
“You really are something else, Theral,” she says.
“I am one of a kind,” you boast.
“You really, really are,” she agrees. “Safe travels, Dragon King.”
It costs you nearly another half-day to appraise your weapon, but you simply walk faster to make up for it—as fast s your Human Princess can keep up, at least. She remains easily the slowest of you, with even less athletic ability or stamina than the Novice Fleshweaver. It is no matter: when your party stops to rest, it gives you time to practice with the Usurper’s Khopesh and thus familiarize yourself with the implement AND fulfill your duty of self-improvement to your patron deity.
It is only a few more days’ travel before you arrive in the familiar caverns below the Bloodrise Mountains. You can hardly hold back your excitement to see the place again after all this time, and to share its splendour and glory with your human bride—as well as to learn what ahs become of your lieutenants, your sons, your apprentice, and of course Glowie.
The first to detect your presence are not the expected kobold miners, though, but dwarves… And not dwarven slaves, either, by their bearing, but freedmen. ‘Duergar’, without slaves to mind, but instead just more workers. You are actually on-guard at first, suspecting invasion for a moment, for you recognize no face and see none of the fearful deference which you beat into them and cleaved from their over-proud spirits…
“He’s back!”
“The Dragon King has returned!”
…But no, they recognize you and rejoice at your return. Curious. These dwarves lead you up and out of the underdark, to the caverns of the mountains proper, until you find the well-worn and well-hewn caverns of the Blodorise Kobodls—by now expanded yet further, hewn into less naturalistic form than the den which the kobolds once occupied, in a style reflective of influences elven and dwarven.
Something feels… Strange.
What will you do first?
>Repatriate Ivno’s body to the Kobolds of Bloodrise>Summon your council, and ask them what has happened here>Speak with the people—these dwarves, the dark elves, and the kobolds if you can find any—to learn about these changes>See Glowie—she will give you the most honest and forthright explanation, and you’d like to see your sons>Show Eka to her new quarters, and familiarize her with this place—the rest can wait>Write-in 