[Jean] Chapter 16: The Ramparts

[pringerbeam]

     "I'm fine.  Telamon just got surprised buy how Marina's communication device works.  How did you sleep?"  Explained Jean as he came up on the two,  his hands out in a halting gesture.  "Ah, good morning your highness."  He added to Lili with a wave.

[Throndir]

"It was great! Oh..." She paused for a second remembering something. "I was planning to wake up earlier than you... but... it's not like I wanted to sleep in the same bed or anything! I was just really really tired, and Ren convinced me we could all share the same bed..."

With this kind of talk, Lili, standing beside Dalina began to look away and blush. "A'right! that's enough blether o` yer love life!" Lili said, unwilling to look at anyone in the eye.

"N-no!" Dalina said beginning to argue.

"Zip it. Nae a word. Anyways, hero. We'll be meetin wi' mah faither 'n' grandfather. Sin ye'r awready up, they're awready expecting ye... We kin git some food foremaist though if ye'r hungery. Ah kin git one o' th' palace warkers to fetch something." She said looking towards you.

[pringerbeam]

     "Oh yeah food.  That would be good."  Replied Jean as his stomach rumbled its agreement.  "Uh Dalina, have you had a chance to sample the local cuisine?"

[Throndir]

Dalina nodded as Lili told the guad that came up with them to fetch them some food. "I didn't eat the meat... but there was some sort of mushroom dish for us, it was good." Dalina replied back. Ren beside you nodded her head vigorously.

"Weel, hero Jean, yer clothes ur suited fur a meetin wi' th' king, 'n' yers is guid enough tae dalina, bit... Telamon, ye shuid git oot o' that blouse. "

Telamon shrugged in response, but her two drones started to encircle her, forming a new set of clothes. Like the last time, Lili watched in complete fascination.

It'd be around 10 minutes before the dwarf arrives again, so you we can split it if you plan to have other actions, otherwise...

Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:00 AM

Lili lead the group towards a simple lobby. Two couches were against both walls, with tables in front of each.

Soon enough the dwarf had arrived again, bring in a cart of food with him. He bowed his towards Lili, then bowed his head towards you and the rest of the guests wordlessly before leaving.

[pringerbeam]

     "You seem to have quite the broad wardrobe there Telamon." Remarked Jean as they awaited the food.  "What exactly are those devices?"



     "Aw yeah, it's chow time."  Exclaimed Jean as he fell upon the cart of food.  He immediately began tearing into something vaguely crustacean or more likely insectoid and cracked through its carapace with his teeth.  He chewed the meat only a few times before swallowing it shell and all.  "I guess I was hungrier than I thought."  He said as he went for another bite.  He took one hand and tracked his finger around the cart, looking for a beverage as he pulled at the meat with his other hand to rip off a chunk of meat with his mouth.  Finding a jug, he poured himself a cup of its contents and, before even checking to see what it was, drank half the glass.

[Throndir]

"These two are my drones, their specific designations are TLM-3OU-1 and TLM-3OU-2." She said pointing to each of them. The first one was black, while the second one was white. "They're state of the art drones made my doctor Alcina herself!" Telamon said proudly. "They are extensions of myself, I move them as if you would move your own arms and legs. If they are ever parted from me though, their backup AI takes over, and can do functions by themselves without me around. With the two of them, I can actualize any equipment I have much faster than if I were to do it myself. I have actualization scanners built into my body, but these two's purposes are primarily for it."


Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:00 AM

The drink you drunk was more like a soup than a drink. It was warm to drink down, though had a thick flavor of mushroom. There was a hint of saltiness in it too, along with likely other spices. There were bits of pulp that floated in it, but small enough that you didn't really need to chew. Lili explained that it was the pulp of fungus called a 'barrelstalk'. Named due to the shape of the fungus. Apparently it was only gathered when it was young, as matured barrelstalk become poisonous. Lili explained that the drink is normally what people have in the morning. As for the insectoid or crustacean meat that you had gone through, it was from something Lili called a 'Cave Fisher'. With how she described it, it was like a giant lobster, that reeled in victims by way of a sticky filament, much like a spider. It typically lived near underground rivers as well, this particular one was a catch from the rivers further lower nearer the ruins.

Telamon chose not to eat, though, she did taste a sample of each of the foods.

Ren greedily went into her own dish, and after she was done, she had glanced over to Dalina's set of food.

Dalina herself only ate half the crab leg she was offered, and some of the drink. The rest she had given to either Viridio or Ren.

Lastly, seeing everyone eating, the slimeling began to dissolve and eat the upholstery on one of the couches. Lili saw with a fascinated interest in the slime's eating habits, but she didn't seem all too concerned.


Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:30 AM

When everyone had finished eating, Lili stood up. "Time tae meet with th' king?"

[pringerbeam]

     "I see, are they only able to produce clothes for you or can they make them for anyone?  What other functions can they fulfill?  Are they always in communication with you even at a distance?  Oh...  that reminds me."  Jean took out the master room crystal from his inventory and held it up to his face.  He looked at it not sure if there was a specific orientation that it needed to be in.  "Uh...  I think you can see me, maybe even hear me in there.  Let Marina know that we'll get back in contact later after we've talked to the king." 



     "You okay Dalina?  You don't seem to be eating much."  He asked as he moved on to some kind of porridge. 



     Finishing off what few scraps of food remained on the cart, Jean washed it all down with barrelstalk drink and patted his stomach.  "Alright, that was delicious.  Ready to diplomatize." He said, standing and giving his arms and legs a good stretch.  "After you your highness."  He bowed to Lili and motioned for her to take the lead.

[Throndir]

Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 10:30 AM

"They can produce clothes for anyone, though it takes the reserve of the energy I have stored. However, for me to create anything, I would need to have molecular blueprints of what I'm building. It's a technology only the TLM-series gynoids have, as such only I and two of my sisters, TLM-1 and TLM-2, along with their respective drones units, are able to do it. I can create most small objects that I have files for, but for larger creations, I can only build components for it. The Workshop of the Thamylon Legend can do such things at a larger scale, along with a larger output as well."

When you pulled out the orb and talked to it, it briefly glowed for a moment, and you heard Dungeon Core 31 through it. "31 here!" The voice came out. "The mana you supplied should keep me going for the next hour, after that I'll have to move back to being in an inactive state..." The voice said, you could hear a little bit of sadness in it. "And I will, just do what you did before, put mana into it... and this time I'll let everyone know before I pull you in... And if you can get me some DP too so I can defend myself... That would be nice!"

Telamon nodded when the orb briefly flashed. "Hello 31, I'm Telamon, previous designation TLM-3. Are you a gynoid? Or any derivative? The orb you reside in is foreign to me. I can't tell how much magi-tech you put into it. Are you related with the DC series derivative androids Heavens Extremist leader Demyan Kursinska created?"

"Nope!" Came the response. "There was a Kursinska family who were leaders for a couple hundred years though when I first awoke, at least in my temple, before I ran into Marina's. I don't know any Demyan with that family name though."


Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:00 AM

"I'm alright!" Dalina said. "Just a bit anxious. I didn't really notice it as much yesterday... But everything is so different here. It feels pretty trapped.... Back home, I can look out the window and see an expanse of clouds and skies all around. It feels... stuffy here." Dalina explained. "I'll get used to it."


Location: Kherngolarr - Palace's Throne Room
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:45 AM

Lili began to lead the group, and soon enough she made it to a set of large double doors that were located a few levels upwards. This particular room sat at the very top of the palace. Lili commanded the royal guards to open the door, and soon enough the doors opened up. The idea of a dwarven throne room from the fantasy books back on earth really didn't match up with what you now see up here. Instead of the expected stone slabs, and rough when rock, perhaps even works of metallic art, instead was a large glass dome that made up the roof and walls of the palace. It felt very much exposed to the outside world, but at the same time, it offered a view of the rest of the city. From the lights far above of the buildings attached to the ceiling of the cavern, to the various buildings strewn out across the cavern walls, along with the top of the tower-city. It offered a good view of the large clock-tower situated near the center of town as well.

There were three thrones of varying size at the far end, with the throne at the center being the largest and most ornate between all three. Seated in that center throne was a dwarf with a tidy beard who wore an orange-colored metallic crown. To his left, your right. was another much older dwarf who too, wore a crown, and you noticed the crown itself was much more ornate than the one the dwarf in the middle wore. This particular dwarf seemed to have a sour look on his face. Lastly, the empty throne chair, the smallest among all three was empty, with a smaller crown sitting atop it.

Lili lead the way up to near the front, then kneeled to one knee, and glanced towards the rest of you to do the same through a motion of her hand.

Dalina kneeled first, though she had a confused look on her face as she glanced towards Lili. Whispering she spoke quietly. "I don't understand, does Jean bow too?" Without responding, Lili just nodded, which made Dalina even more confused. "I read that the dwarves treated heroes like kings?"

Lili stayed quiet, but whispered back again to the group. "Juist kneel down, all o' ye'" She replied again.

[pringerbeam]

     "Alright, I'll try to keep you charged enough to talk."  Said Jean to the dungeon core.  "The Workshop...  That's a different component ship than the Ramparts?"



     "Okay well try to eat well.  You want to keep your strength up.  Here, try this."  He said offering her a spoonful of the porridge.  "I think this is probably easier on the stomach.  Not quite sure what the taste is though."



     "Yeah no, sorry about this m'lady but I bow to no man.  Beautiful women sure, but I am not going to prostrate myself here."  Said Jean, continuing to stand.  He stared up at the dwarves sitting on their thrones.  "Greetings your highness and..."  He nodded to the elderly one.  "Your most esteemed of elders.  I am captain Jean Valois."

[Throndir]

Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 10:30 AM

Telamon nodded. "The Pinnacle. The Garden. The Alchemy Lab. The Workshop. The Hangar. The Storehouse. The Tower. The Library. The Research Center. And finally the Ramparts." Telamon said. "The doc used to talk about other ideas... But I'm not sure if she ever started to work on those. After the Ramparts was phased away down here, we lost communication with the outside world. The survivors here did what they could, but they eventually died out. As for me... I had strict orders to conserve my energy output in the event things like this happened."


Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:00 AM

"You... can't taste?" Dalina asked. Hesitantly though, and blushing, she took a spoonful from your pro-offered spoon.


Location: Kherngolarr - Palace's Throne Room
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:45 AM

Ren and Telamon beside you chose not to bow either. Though Dalina and Lili did. Ren looked questioningly at both Lili's and Dalina's actions, not quite understanding. As for Telamon, she seemed to be smirking at your response and even smiled herself as she looked towards the two on the throne.

"Hmph." The elderly dwarf said, as he frowned at you.

The other dwarf at the center only grinned. "So, yer the hero everyone's been talkin' aboot and got faither 'ere all uptight, along with the priests. Ye'd got some backbone, Ah'd give ya' that."

The elderly dwarf spoke next. "Yer not welcome 'ere. I 'eard what ye' did to the High Priest doon at th' ruins'. If it weren't for th' princess showin' ye' favor, ye'd 'ave bin thrown out. So, why'd ye' come 'ere?"

"Grandfaither, it'd be me tae blame. Ah brought Jean 'ere when I 'eard he was near th' mountains."

"Silence Lili, yer already in trouble as it is, ah'm recommendin' yer younger sister ta take th' throne for how ye'd been actin' lately."

Though she was still kneeling and had her head bowed, you could see her clench one of her fists, but chose not to say anything more.

The dwarf at the center raised a hand though, in a quieting gesture towards the elderly dwarf. "That 'asn't bin decided yet Lili... But ye' know how... tense tis lately. Anyways... hero Jean, ah've 'eard ye' have access to th' ruins down 'n th' lower sections that we've bin tryin' tae get to for th' last hunnerd years. For that I congratulate ye', ah personally doon't mind, as we probably will never git a chance to open it without the aid of a hero, but the clerical groups of mine kingdom 'ave demanded ye' give up yer rights to it."

[pringerbeam]

     "And we don't know where the other parts are...  Ironically, it sounds like your best bet at uniting the Thamylon Legend might be those extremists you loath so much.  The wind temples appear to have mostly avoided the shifts because of their position in the skies and as such since they were created around a similar time to the Thamylon Legend might have some record of spotting the components or maybe might hold some record of the ancient locations where the components were each built at.  How fortunate this was already a priority of mine."  Pondered Jean as he held his chin.



     "How was it?"  He asked as he licked what was left on the spoon before loading up another spoonful.



     "Well you need a good backbone to fend off a horde of demons, an army of treants, and a rather uncouth band of priests all in one day."  Said Jean as he stared rather pointedly at the eldest dwarf.  "And that backbone still has a mighty weight to lift now that it bears the weight of the title of Captain of the Ramparts.  I think you might be more familiar with that as the door that could not be opened without the might of a hero?"  He added a hard and imperious emphasis on the final word.  "That mantle requires me to treat my new charge with the care that is needed to ensure the function of something that will be vital in the battles to come.  Isn't that right Telamon?"  He asked, never breaking his stare with the eldest dwarf.  "To that end, I am more than willing to allow access to the Ramparts in exchange for mana crystals and aid in excavating it."

     "Princess Lili here is in no fault as I had no problem taking on my assailants.  Or did they not mention that I had them vomiting their guts out in a matter of seconds?  For that matter was it ever mentioned that I was driven to your doorstep by the treants attacking me without provocation and putting an entire village of innocent civilians in danger?"

[Throndir]

Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 10:30 AM

Telamon nodded. "You know, I think it was because doctor Alcina loathed them that I don't really like them either. It wouldn't surprise me if she put a little bit of 'don't like any Heaven's Extremist' somewhere in my coding." She smiled as she glanced at Dalina. "She's alright though. And maybe it will be her people which would lead us to the next piece of the Legend... If those extremists really eventually came up with the technology like that crystal, combining spatial magic and technology, that would be a feat even the doc would find greatly interesting. I'm almost surprised she didn't do it first." She shrugged. "Either way, it's an era long gone."


Location: Kherngolarr - Guest Room in Palace
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:00 AM

"It tastes like mushrooms... like a watery soup, but tastes better than it sounds." Dalina stated. When she noticed you fill up the spoon again, a hint of a blush continued to remain on her features. "You don't have to do that Jean! I'm supposed to be the Priestess of the Hero." Grabbing another spoon nearby, she dipped the spoon into broth as well. "Now open up." She said, completely forgetting the fact that this all started due to the fact that it was she herself who wasn't eating much.


Location: Kherngolarr - Palace's Throne Room
Date: Day 8 (Jean), Day 10 (Rosalie) - Time: 11:45 AM

The elderly dwarf began to turn red. "Th' outside world doesn't concern us! We've left that behind decades ago. And if th' treants want ye', then by the mother earth we're tae oblige!"

The dwarf in the middle raised his hand again. "Faither, th' hero haes shored a deal wi' us, which is mair than we kin expect."

"Hmph." The elderly dwarf said again, continuing to shoot you a glare.

The dwarf at the center though looked more neutrally towards you. "Tae be honest, yer arrival haes created a wedge in oor folk. Thare are those who support Lili, mainly th' younger ones who wantae help out th' surface dwellers. 'n' then thare are those lik' our priesthood, who are only concerned wi' oor folk, th' dwarves, 'n' the ruins. It hasn't even been a day yit, 'n' awready some o' th' younger generations are throwing protests in th' city square."

"Yer offer is fair enough. Most o' th' mana crystals near have awready bin used... Bit if ye' give us some time, we'd be able tae mak' dae... How much o' it are ye' expecting?"

Telamon responded to this. "Whatever you have in your entire city, dwarf." Telamon said simply. The dwarf at the center raised an eyebrow to this, but chose not to say anything. "But if ether crystals are in low supply, then we'll need enough to break free to the surface. I need to know the quality of your ether crystals, and if you have the technology to refine it. If not, bring me to any of your refineries... Your people still work with orichalcum, right? There's similarities, but with a few components from the Ramparts, we may be able to get something working."

[pringerbeam]

     "Long gone and mostly forgotten, yet apparently more important to the story of this land than any of us might realize right now."  Said Jean as he continued to sit and ponder.  "But apparently we'll need to resume this later."  He said with his ears perking up at the jingling sound of cutlery from just around the corner.  Seeing the cart laden with food arriving he stood up and exclaimed.  "Aw yeah, it's chow time!"



     "Don't mind if I do."  Said Jean as he stuck his mouth around Dalina's offered spoon for a taste of the porridge.  "I didn't think this was one of your duties but I'll take it."  He said after swallowing.



     "As I think you might be starting to understand, the Ramparts hold a level of technology beyond what you have up to this point been able to excavate.  Hence, the added security.  It was built as part of an unfinished project to save this world and I intend on getting it to the skies where it belongs and where it can fulfill its purpose.  Its fuel needs are immense but from what I understand your people have sizeable stores at your disposal."  He paused for a moment before continuing.  "I didn't come here to cause unrest.  I haven't even spoken to any of your common folk.  I think that if people are protesting in your streets it is because of some longer standing unrest that has been brewing and my arrival has only confirmed what many might have already suspected: that this world stands on the edge of annihilation and that you can either remain isolated to await your death at the hands of the demonic hordes or you can set forth and bring the fight to them."  He paused again for dramatic effect.  "Now, I'm not going to demand that you empty your city and give up your civilization but...  I do need a crew.  If you have so many that wish to take up arms why not let them?  I would gladly take any volunteers to crew my ship and I know armies of surface dwellers that need stalwart allies in the war against the demons."

[Throndir]

Roll diplomacy here for Make Request., I'll take care of it probably sometime tomorrow. You can attempt to roll Diplomacy a second time optionally for improving their demeanor.

[pringerbeam]

Diplomacy (Make Request)

Rolled 1d20+12 : 6 + 12, total 18

Diplomacy (Improve Attitude)

Rolled 1d20+12 : 12 + 12, total 24