The sound of whirring and slashing blades can be heard off in the distance approaching the walls of Jastrey. Beginning as a small speck on the horizon, the silouhette of what appears to be a small dragon begins to emerge out of the clouds. It erattically darts back and forth as if attacking small birds, bobbing and weaving as it goes. As it nears the walls of Jastrey its form can be made out slightly clearer - a giant machine composed of cogs, gears, springs, sprockets, pieces of leather drawn tight across steel frames forming a body and extended wings. A gnome sits pilot at the helm clearly visable in the mechanical dragon's large glass eye.
The dragon darts back and forth diving swiftly and nearly crashing into the top of the newly built inn allowing onlookers to see the gnome flailing wildly in order to try to keep control of the machine. His arms flap at erratic speeds causing the wings of the beast to move in sequence, barely keeping it aloft. Beads of sweat fall off his brow as the mechanical dragon climbs rapidly into the air one last time over the center of the town. The beast lets out a loud roar of screeching metal and grinding gears and at the height of its ascent suddenly stops. The wings cease to move and the air calms and the machine plummets directly into the center of town, creating a giant smouldering mess of useless scrap and broken machinery.
A single hand can be seen flailing in the wreckage, trapped, and sticking out of the mechanical serpents mouth.
"HELP!! ANYONE OUT THERE?," the gnome screams hoarsely while flailing about in the wreckage.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Hey!," the gnome yaps as Rasiri begins to try to pull him out of the wreckage. "Do you have ANY idea who you're dealing with here? I just asked if there was anyone out there. I didn't say I wanted you to put your grubby mits on me. Unless you're a cutie? Are you a cutie? If so you can put your grubby little mits all over me!"
The gnome begins to hack and cough as the smoke begins to form heavily among the wreckage. "Just move some of this stuff away and I'll be able to free myself. Can you manage that?"
The gnome begins to stand, his left leg shaking violently under his weight and a large pool of red begining to form along the upper thigh. "Thanks mate, that was a rough scrap to be in. Blasted bolts and slag, they told me not to buy a Weisclouud, but you should have seen the beauty. Called it the Stratovix, or something like that. All sorts of bells and whistles, it screamed like a real dragon too. I was looking to show it off to the boys back home. Went through the manual and did all the maneuvers. The Hot Dog, The Diving Swoop, The Sideways Pretzel, she could even do a barrel roll!"
He begins to hobble away from the wreckage, clearly favoring his leg. "Damn thing didn't have any instructions on how to land the contraption though. They always said up is easy, down is the hard part. Oh well, its not the first mechanical beast that I've bested. Any fight you can walk away from, right?"
The gnome forces another few steps and collapses in the middle of the street.
Rasiri looks and smiles at the little stalwart gnome, then moves over to his side, careful not to touch him, "I never got your name. I am Rasiri." Rasiri waves his hand over the gnome and says "Light of the astral restore your body" [Heal 4] "That's all i can do though you might wanna go find a healer."
"Rasiri, huh?" the gnome mutters as he regains consciousness. "Not much of a healer there are you boy? But I trust you know your way about this place, right? Where am I? And have you heard about a rogue unit of Nanognomes? Tiny little creatures, about the size of a pair of large ants, industrious, and often a bit impetuous?"
The gnome stands and begins to dust himself off, noticing the pool of blood that had gathered along his leg. "Much like myself I suppose. I'm Lord High Lord Cogwaggle the Dismantler, Chief Architect, General Contractor, and CEO of Nanognome Remote Industries - we offer construction relief efforts to less forutnuate settlements..." Cogwaggle pauses and looks around before continuing, "much like this one."
"Not really i am a seer," Rasiri smile and looks at the gnome again "and i have not heard of any gnomes in these parts, except the few that live here..." Rasiri takes a look around, "And we need no relief, what we need is fighters. This town is under constant attack from all sorts of creatures. but we are defended." Rasiri looks at the little gnome. "Need help to the healer's den?"
Cogwaggle looks off into the distance, noting the cannons mounted on the wall, all still pointed directly into the center of town. Pointing at them he questions "Defended, or defended from? Looks like this place has been turned into a prison."
Cogwaggle digs into one of the pouches at his side causing the coins inside to jingle softly. He produces one and a small slip of paper with his name on it. "Just point me in the right direction and I'll see myself there. And this is for you, I'd rather not be indebted to someone I don't know. This should be more than plenty for a few moments work, correct?." He hands Rasiri a gold and the note, awaiting directions to the healer's den.
Rasiri recoiled again and scowled a little, "Hey there Cogwaggle... I am no worker. I am a fighter. and we have dangerous people here but only to protect this precious town we call home." Rasiri's face lightened and he pocketed the coin (he was very broke as much as he hated to admit it). "The healer's den is that way. but learn some manners... Chatya is a kind soul but no fun when she is riled" Rasiri smiled and pointed the way to the den out to the gnome.
"Chataya, hmmm?" Cogwaggles eyebrows raise with curiosity. "Sounds like she could be a cutie. If so, I think we'll get along wonderfully."
The gnome walks off in the direction Rasiri pointed, grimacing with pain every few steps. Thinking he's just barely out of earshot he grins and mutters to himself, "A fighter he says? Sounds like we got ourself our first contestant."
Taklinn can be seen running quickly (for a dwarf) to the scene of the crash. He throws down a large over full pack to the ground and draws his axe and shield as the clanging pack hits the ground. Seeing the limping gnome, he squares up against Rasiri and puts himself in between the Uordeq and the gnome. "What in Githal's ass is goin' on here hoot?! Tryin' to cut up a newcomer with some hair-brained contraption o' the pit? I leave fer a few mests an' the town resorts ta' attackin' those that are smaller'n themselves?"
"For you information, i pulled him out and fixed him dwarf." Rasiri almost spits the last word out as he glares at Taklinn. "So why don't YOU go have a nice little vacation in the pit." Rasiri looks Taklinn up and down. "Put your weapons away dwarf. You have no need of them, and you might also want to go talk to the gnome yourself before you pull your judgemntal blade before i turn it on you fellow guardian." Rasiri smirks at Taklinn like a smartass and waits for the dwarven rage fit he knew would come.
Cogwaggle takes a look at Taklinn and chuckles to himself, calling back to Rasiri over his shoulder. "I don't know you from anyone else in this town, Mr. Rasiri, but I'd say that dwarf there is more the fighter type than you are. I'd go ahead and put your training gloves away and put your pots and pans back in your mothers cabinet, as they're a poor excuse for armor in a fight."
Favoring his leg, he comes to a stop for a second, hissing deeply in pain. "He's no concern, cousin dwarf. He helped me in a predicament I found myself in. Is there a place where I can find supplies and a new fit of steel in this rabble of a town? At least until I'm able to fish my own gear out of the wreckage proper? After seeing to the services of your esteemed Chataya, of course."
"You just can't seem to make a friend, can you Brother?" Katri said with a chuckle, having over heard the new Gnome's slight as she approached to examine the wreck. She was dressed only in her long green robes and cloak, weapons and mask no where in sight.
"Though, this new comer seems to have a good handle on you already." She added with a wink before gesturing to the pile of scrap, "Anyway, what in the pit was this monstrosity?"
Cogwaggle smiles mischeviously as the new Uordeq joined the party, straightening himself properly and pushing back any pain he might be feeling in his bones at the moment. A quiet wolf whistle escapes his lips as he walks over to Katri.
"So, Rasiri, this is where you've been hiding the cuties. Couldn't you have just called for her when you saw my ship go down in flames? Don't you know that every reputable businessman immediately feels remarkably better when his eyes are assaulted by the curves of a lovely young woman." Cogwaggle eyes Katri up and down, making mental note of her form like a dirty old letcher.
"This, my lady, is, or should I say, was, the Statovix, the finest personal flying vessel designed and originally piloted by the esteemed Dr. Trentan von Weisclouud. As an afficionado of such fineries, I purchased the prototype of the latest model in development and set to test out its capacities. Sadly its been found wanting in its ability to land safely and effectively. She was a fine lady in her prime, but alas, she is no more."
Cogwaggle faces the smoking pile of rubble, bows his head and places his hand over his heart in reverence. He turns back to Katri and continues, "As I told you, ahem, brother, I am the Lord High Lord Cogwaggle the Dismantler, Chief Architect, General Contractor, and CEO of Nanognome Remote Industries, pilot, dragon slayer, and noteable outstanding gentleman. It is a plasure to make your acquiantance."
At the sounds of wreckage, Glimmer bursts from the woodline with a squeel resembling that of a skinned cat. "WEEEEEEEEEEEHO DRAGON IM GUNNA GIT YEW! Come to Mama Glimmer. Nice dragon. Here dragon dragon drag....What the....WHO BROKE THE DRAGON!" Glimmer eyes the scene wildly, before catching site of the new gnomly man.
"You broke the dragon gnomie homie. Why'd you breaks it? I'da keeped it forever and loved it and hugged it and fed it and watered it and gived it cookies for life!" She eye the gnome up and down, adjusts her tutu and says "I'm Glimmer. Mama Glimmer to you. I like the gnomies. I'll adopt you yet, yes I will. Eat some cookies, have some tea." Glimmer digs in her pouch and pulls a sack of cookies and a flask of tea, shoving them both into the gnomes hands.
"Aye, Taklinn Forgesplitter. You make a fine site when you're all huffled and puffled." Glimmer throws a few cookies at Katri and plops down at the gnomes feet.
"Pleasure to meet you as well Cogwaggle. I am Katerina Cassitran. Katri for short. I think the whole problem with this Statovix was one Dr. WeisClouud. You know something about Nagno-" She began when she was cut off by the appearance of Glimmer.
She couldn't help but chuckle at the Fae's entrance. She always knew how to make a good one. Katri caught the cookies and grinned taking a bite, "Delicious as always, Mama Glimmer. I'd let her 'adopt' you. It has tasty benefits." For emphasis, the Uordeq took another bit of her cookie before pulling out her flask and taking a drink.
Cogwaggle flashes a number of hang signals at the eccentric fairy, and sighs as she doesn't seem to respond to any of them. "Wrong neighborhood I suppose, at least I don't have a dagger in my spine yet, so I suppose that's a good thing. Please excuse me if I refuse to acknowledge you by the mama monicker, we've yet to grow to that level of fondness in such a short period of time. And might I be so foward as to inquire what are those incredulous protrusions sticking out of your back? Are those.... wings?"
Cogwaggle stares blankly at the fairy, having never seen one in his life before. "I'm a gentleman of age and distinction, and while I appreciate the offer of adoption, I've been a free man on my own for a goodly number of years now, I do believe that I'll so choose to remain so."
Sweat begins to bead on the gnomes forehead and he begins to grit his teeth in pain from standing upright on his leg. Rapidly his face turns pale white, and he collapses to one knee in the middle of the street. "Perhaps we can have this coversation after attaining to a much more pressing need. Medical attention."
Rasiri smiles down at the dwarf and then pats him on the shoulder, "nice to see you again friend!" Rasiri gives him one more wolfish evil smile then dissapears into a wisp of black smoke and appears again over by Cogwaggle, Katri and Glimmer. "How are you doing Glimmer, it has been awhile... and My Sister! It's been awhile for you as well Kat. What hole to the pit did you crawl out of this time?"
"And what seems to the problem here?" The voice is followed by Leofrick stepping out from behind a large tree. "Is everyone alright?" Leo walks over to the group. "Did I hear that correctly, a Weisclouud product good sir? Captain has a ship from the good doctor as well."
Katri moves to help up the gnome, "What have you done to yourself, Cogwaggle?"
The urodeq shoots a harsh look at her brother, "Rasiri. Do you remember what I said the last time you called me 'Kat'? I don't care if you are older, I'll take out your tongue myself, shove it down your throat, and kill you slowly."
Glimmer gawks at the gnome as he makes wild hand gestures and begins to do the same. "This is not the song of my people, gnomie. But I'll play your games. A true man of distinction would know that such protrusions are simply the best kind of protrusion to walk these streets. Wings, my dear man. Wings of the Fae. My protrusions will best any protrusion you could come up with, I'm quite sure." Glimmer plops a cookie in her mouth, winks at the gnome, then flaps her wings as if to prove her point.
Rasiri smiles at Katri. "My oh my... temper dear sister... before i have to put you down. and i think it's appropriate that i call you "Kat" your protests sound like a dying cat and grate on my ears. now be along with you and let the adults talk." Rasiri then turns and looks at Glimmer, "And might i say your wings look fantastic today Glimmer."
Glimmer places a giggling hand atop the gnomes shoulder and chants quietly "Come back from over the rainbow...." (Heal 6 times 3). She then stuffs a cookie in his mouth for good measure.
Glimmer turns to Rasiri and glares, while spitting her cookie to the ground at his feet.
Ohren comes charging down the road, roaring out in his native tongue.
"OOOUURRRAAHAHGHGHR RRRAAAh RRROOOOAAAHHH!! VVAAANNQQQUIIISSSHHH!!!"
He runs past everyone else, heading directly for the large mecanical dragon. HIs fist cocks as he approaches at high speed and he lashes out at the felled beast. His fist collides with the monstrosity with a loud clang. Ohren seems to roar out once more in his native tongue... Or is it?
"OOOOUUUUUUHHHHAAAA!!"
His fist was already starting to swell.
"Oh!" Katri grumbled, hefting the now dead weight of the Gnome more toward her shoulder. She shot a grateful look at Glimmer as she began to heal him. Fot a Gnome, he was a touch heavy.
"Rasiri, brother, you underestimate me as always. Now close your mouth before I sew it shut. I hear undead seers make great pets if you keep them from talking too much, and you've been dying to join my doll collection for years." Katri laughed harshly.
Cogwaggles eyes begin to shine as a money making idea presented itself so generously as he regained consciousness.
"Lovely lady Katri, it seems that now is neither the time or place for this course of action. I'm well aware of the temperment of your kind, and it seems that the rumors aren't far from the truth. And while I'm well aware that you would much like to end the life of a sniveling vagrant such as your brother, might I propose we make a little sport of it? I haven't seen much of your little town yet, but I'm sure its much like any other, and there are all sorts of, shall we say, hostilities - both spoken and unspoken, that can be taken advantage of. Have you heard of a bounty board?"
Checking over his body he notices that his leg still feels a touch tender, but the majority of the cuts and scrapes from the crash seem to have healed nicely. "I suppose I should thank you for tending to my wounds, Glimmer. I appologize that I don't know how to properly address a fae, one such as myself doesn't happen to leave the confines of the office much so, I'm a touch shocked and amazed at the revelation that the myths are confirmed. Perhaps we can find a quiet place to discuss the matter of cookies and tea, and maybe you might be able to escort me around town so that I may get my berings?"
"My dearest son, i was me... that's all it takes in this town for people to hate me." Rasiri turns to Glimmer, "I hold no ill will towards you." Then he turns to Katri, "Oh dear sister..." His smile turns to a look of heavy pity. "I am so sorry you were born so weak and talentless... If i wanted to i could crush you under my boot... but i won't i pity you far too much. I might just make you my take your mind from you... Or make you relive the astral. i remember how much you hated that." Rasiri winks one blackened eye, "But i choose to be civil with you because you are my blood, but that won't save you long." Then he smiles the biggest smile he can manage.
Katri let out a genuine laugh at her brother. "Oh you are quite hilarious, you pathetic excuse for a scrap of Uordeq. Of course, I guess this overly confident fool is better than the sniveling rodent I grew up with. And you? Spare me because I'm blood? I saved your life when I drug you out of the Shadelands with me. Of course, I understand. You're nothing more than a grown boy still trying to prove that he's worth something to a daddy that never loved him."
She turned to the Gnome and raised an eyebrow, "A bounty board? Sounds interesting..."
"If I were to compile a list of things that would never happen in my absence... Rasiri's stone's dropping would be right there at the top of my list." The clicking and clacking of a jaw bone muffled by a mask comes from behind Rasiri as the hulking figure of Nakigahara steps out from the shadows, adorned in new tribal ornaments but draped with a massive cloak.
"But truth be told, I have always enjoyed a bit of fratricide... But that might just be me..." Naki laughs a low, gutteral laugh. "After all, family always makes for the best weapons, Princess!"
"What did I miss, hm?
Ohren continues to punch and strike at the metal beast. Attempting to break it down with his new training he recieved from Gaius. He roars out and kicks the beast.
"AAAHH!!!"
He hops up and down on one foot, clutching the one he just kicked the machine with.
"Sumofabish!!!"
Glimmer waggles her eyebrows at the gnome and curtsies slightly, "Do come with me, my good man. I have the finest cookies and tea in the land." Glimmer holds her arm out to the gnome and says "Dearest Takisacks, I shall escort my new pet Lord High Lord Cogwaggle the Dismantler, Chief Architect, General Contractor, and CEO of Nanognome Remote Industries around Jastrey and be back later my tater tot!" She turns to Cogwaggle and says "Shall we, my Lord?"
"The finest in the land you say? Why don't we put that to the test. I suppose I can go without immediate medical attention for a while to be civilized with my new acquiantances."
Cogwaggle stops suddenly at the mention of the word 'pet'. "Dear Glimmer, I will accompany you to a place of your choosing, but I refuse to be adopted, I will not be a pet, and I will not be a made to be a subserviant of another without my express written consent and under the advisement of my most trusted council. And Rasiri, why don't you join us. Show me that you can be something other than a sniveling gutter snipe and rise to a level of civility above that which your race is known for. It never serves a man poorly to act as if you were a prince in another land. You'd learn well to live by that lesson. I guarantee a longer and more properous life, without a doubt!"
"I shall not refer to you as my pet then. I'd be happy to show you around town, but I must warn you not to trust Rasiri. With anything. Not your life or your back. He's well known for....sharing things. We can go to the tavern, The Shady Corner. Some of your finest associates seem to have been ahrd at work there recently."
Glimmer, turns to Rasiri and says "You will mind yourself. Or I shall my notify my Queen post haste. Come along."
"Welcome back Nakigahara. Family makes for the best weapons you say? I'll keep that in mind. I could always use a good new weapon..." She chuckled with a grin. "You've missed nothing more than the usual. Newcomers crashing in to town, things trying to kill us all. Same old Jastrey. How goes the Vanquishing?"
Rasiri looks at Glimmer and Cogwaggle with a weary smile. "I awlays mind myself, fae. There was a time when you and i used to be friends. Remember that?" Rasiri then turns to Cogwaggle, "And as much as i love your choice of words i will be happy to come with you." Rasiri then walks over to them and falls in behind them as they leave.
"See, being a prince in another land has its advantages. New friends all around, and apparently the finest tea and cookies in the land. You'll learn a lot from my tutelage, boy, and you might have a better attitutde and new friends when we're done. Assuming you live that long."
Cogwaggle laughs at his own joke and follows the crew to the tavern.
Rasiri smiles at the sight of the gnome machine. "I love gnomes, they are so creative." Then he promptly dissapears and reappears next the the werckage removing the stuck gnome.