Homestead Survival

<15 August 2024, GRAND MESA OF SUMMER , A+>
[Theo and Julia]
The food was truly divine. Every piece of meat fell from the bone, and every drink coated the mouth and satiated thirst. Every dessert was the perfect amount of sweetness. Theo and Julia, who had not eaten much more than System Rations, meat sticks, and berries for more than two weeks, devoured the food.

"Quite the appetite on ye' both." Gurndin chuckled, then looked at Patriarch Karzun, "Why don't you tell them what you need to?"

Patriarch Karzun, who was nearly cheek-deep in a massive, nearly raw slab of meat, nodded, wiped his face, and began to speak.

"Crypt Keeper learned that the System had detected several errors, many centered around you and your interactions with the Corrupted. It has decided to rectify this using Primordial Flight. You will have to suffer the flight of the System Wyrm."

"What is a System Wyrm?" Julia asked, "And why must we suffer it? Won't it just fly over us?"

Patriarch Karzun nodded, "It will just fly over, but the System Wyrm is not a normal dragon. I am a True-Dragon; below me in our family of creatures are the Dragon-Kin, Lesser-Dragons. Below them are the Wyverns, Drakes, and all of the lesser variations of them. Above me in the hierarchy of Dragons and all things Dragon-adjacent are the Lyndwyrms. We know of only three that still exist, and they are almost always in a state of hibernation."

"That is slightly ominous." Theo said, taking a drink of a strange yellow liquid, "You are the strongest person or creature that we have met so far. To think that there is something that is above you, as you say. It is mildly terrifying."

Julia nodded, and Patriarch Karzun laughed slightly. "That is fair; you are new to the System and being thrown much more than the usual inductees. Now, all of the dragon family. Lyndwyrms, True-Dragons, Dragon-Kin. All of us can trace our origin back to a creature that we all call the God-Wyrm. The God-Wyrm died millions of years ago. But the System found the corpse of the God-Wyrm. It decided that the power that still remained within the God-Wyrm was worth using, so it brokered a deal with the Lyndwyrms, and now, when a problem occurs over a large area, the newly dubbed System-Wyrm takes flight and uses pure concentrated magical energy laced with direct control of the System to re-instate the will of the System."

"So we have managed to be enough of a problem that the System is going to throw the origin of species at us?" Julia said, a little shocked.

Eg'Valla lets out a long laugh. "Child, what is your name?"

"I am Julia Brahmin," Julia said, bowing her head slightly. "May I ask yours?"

Theo caught the face of Ordus going slack-jawed when Julia asked.

Eg'Valla nodded with a smile, "I am Lady Eg'Valla Dreamscaper. You may address me as Lady Eg'Valla or Lady Dreamscaper."

"Thank you, Lady Dreamscaper," Julia said.

"Ordus," Theo said with concern, "Are you okay?"

"I... You... They..." Ordus glanced from one person to another, unsure of how to answer.

"I think..." Gurndin said, taking a pipe from somewhere and packing it. "... the poor lad is a little shocked at who's here, as well as how the two o' ye' are quite casual with us. By the by, I am Gurndin the Darksmasher, keep it simple an' call me Gurndin."

"Thank you, Lord Gurndin," Julia said, remembering how Patriarch Karzun had reacted when Theo had called him Sir.

"You are probably right, Gurndin." Patriarch Karzun said, then looked at Theo and Julia. "For ones so new to the System to be seated at a table with three divine entities as equals sharing a meal less than a month after your planet's System Induction is unheard of. You are both strange. You are both rather polite."

Patriarch Karzun looked from Julia, who seemed to be doing much of the talking, then locked his eyes on Theo. "I would know what you are thinking, Theo Sorrenson. Speak as you would."

Theo looked up and locked eyes with Patriarch Karzun, "Yes, Sir. I guess my biggest thought is how do we survive the Primordial flight, and if survival is a foregone conclusion, how do we use it to our benefit?"

Theo screwed his face up for a moment and then shrugged, "And I am also wondering what caused this whole thing. Why did the Corrupted Goblin Chief take interest in us? Why are we unable to just work on building a home? What must we do for a while of peace?"

Gurndin let out an uproarious laugh. "Oh! I like ye' lad! Not afraid one bit, are ye'?"

Theo shrugged again. "No. I fully recognize that if any of you wanted to kill me, there is nothing I could do to stop you. However, I also think that dwelling on that and trying to tiptoe around you all seems like a waste of time and opportunity. You all seem like you are in a rather good mood and willing to talk, so I might as well try and get whatever information I can from you."

Gurndin laughed again. "Good answer, lad! Good answer!"

Eg'Valla smiled at Theo and Julia, raising a glass to them before drinking from it. Aflara looked a little surprised and wondered if these humans were crazy or just unaware of the level of decorum and protocol they were bypassing by even being near these three, let alone speaking as they were.

Patriarch Karzun nodded. "All excellent questions. The easiest one to answer first, then. Why can't you get some peace? That would potentially be my fault and the fault of a few others."

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Julia showed little on her face; Theo, however, had to hammer his eyebrows back to his head when they shot off the top of it. Julia smiled at Theo as he attempted to school his face.

Julia spoke with no accusation, "Might we ask how it was your fault? Or at least how you came to that conclusion?"

Patriarch Karzun then explained that when the System inducted new worlds, it generally was done in batches. And when word of a new batch of planets goes out, many beings on our level get together to try and acquire things for our people. But also to place bets.

"When we finally came to your world, it was made interesting to everyone because Lord Argo, Oreburn, and Starfall arrived and began to place particular bets."

"Ohh, how are Argo and Oreburn?" Julia asked, "I am not sure who Starfall is."

"They are quite well." Patriarch Karzun said with a smile, "And Starfall is another Nar'Och who was placing bets on behalf of a private third party."

Theo and Julia looked at each other. Patriarch Karzun laughed, "I had a feeling."

"Why would she do that?" Theo asked.

"I would imagine," Gurndin said, "it was actually Oreburn who wanted to place the bets, but 'cause he was the one who met ye', that might be considered interference. I imagine that he, the lad, convinced Starfall to place the bets for ye'."

"You know that Oreburn spoke with us," Julia asked.

Eg'Valla chuckled this time. "My dear, your names have been heard by some of the most powerful individuals in the System. Oreburn is quite taken with the two of you and speaks of your hospitality to any who will listen."

Theo and Julia look at each other with a mild look of panic, and Patriarch Karzun waved a hand, "Think nothing of it. You could do worse than be thought of as good hosts. Now you asked a few questions. But to finish my explanation of why it was my fault that Durn took an interest in you, well, myself and Lord Argo placed bets that hinge upon your success. Should you achieve the things that we think you are capable of, we both stand to profit immensely. These bets being so focused on you and the potential family you will build probably set Durn's sights on you and made him desire your demise."

"Okay," Theo said, somewhat confused. "why would he care, though?"

Eg'Valla sighed and then locked eyes with Theo. "Durn is the God of Plague and Cannibals. But he himself is a jealous and petulant being. When he heard that there was a chance for him to start a family on this planet and at the same time bring ill fortunes to several of us as an effect of your death? That was all he needed. He probably spent many times any value he would ever get to send Corrupted beings to your planet and to seek you out."

"As to why the Harbinger took an interest in ye'..." Gurndin took another pull from his pipe, letting out a long blow of smoke, "the Corrupted tend ta' be downright evil. And, it doesn't help that Durn probably sent yer description out to all his Corrupted."

"We don't actually know how Durn did many of the things that he did. We do know that because he was a god before the System arrived in his home world, he had some special considerations. It is one of the reasons that we were not simply directed to kill him." Patriarch Karzun shrugged.

"You asked us several questions," Eg'Valla said, "There are two that we should address and then bring the business that Aflara was dispatched to discuss with you to the table. Firstly, you asked how you can survive Primordial flight. Secondly, you asked how it can be used."

Theo and Julia nodded. Gurndin pulled a long breath from his pipe and blew twin smoke rings from his nostrils before speaking. "Ye'll survive. At least some aspect of ye' will. Whether it is the person of ye' or the plant of ye' is a different matter. But you will survive. What you should focus on is that second question: how can you use it!"

Patriarch Karzun nodded, "I will only say that the level of magic that will be present is useful in any number of ways for crafting, class evolution, and a variety of other ways."

"Which brings us to the business that we sent Aflara to discuss with you." Lady Eg'Valla said. "Aflara, if you would?"

Aflara stood and bowed to Lady Dreamscaper, then faced Theo and Julia. "Lord Sorrenson, Lady Brahmin, I have been sent here to negotiate the hosting of not less than ten individuals from each of the families. Ten from the Karzun Family. Ten from Clan Stonewrend. And ten from the Joolnar Family. Each of these would be no higher than level fifteen and would be sworn to do you no harm. The three families would ask what you demand to host their young?"

Eg'Valla, Gurndin, and Patriarch Karzun sat and watched. Theo and Julia looked at each other, feeling that this was a test. Theo shrugged and gestured for Julia to take the lead. Julia nodded, "Understood, under a circumstance where we were in a position to host thirty people, we would ask for nothing."

Ordus looked as if he was going to implode at those words, and Gurnding laughed, patting him on the shoulder. "Breathe, Lad, breathe."

Julia smiled at Ordus and then continued. "But as we are not in a place to do that. We would appreciate assistance in reaching a point where we can at least provide a Ward Protected area for our guests to camp. I would offer our cabin, but..."

Julia gestured, and they all looked at the sad-looking cabin, which had a crater on one side and now looked quite pathetic now that it was no longer their only island of protection from the horde. "... it is not what I would call 'Guest Ready.' So yes, our fee would be minor assistance in getting our basic Ward rune line established, and we can at least provide a modest level of protection."

Aflara nodded. "Normally, this is where I would step away to contact my Grandfather, but he is here."

"Yes, I am. Excellent job, Aflara." The patriarch said, giving a very proud smile to his granddaughter. "Now, Theo and Julia, we have all three heard your request. I, for one, believe that it is acceptable and will even suggest offering to build a mana convergence array for them all to use."

"I would second that and would also suggest appropriate gifts." Eg'Valla nodded.

"Aye, that'll do. And ye' can count on the support of my kin. As a matter o' fact..."

Suddenly, a war horn blew out, and the thump-thump-thump of booted feet marching in lockstep approached. The Dwarf that led the contingent of dwarven warriors called out. "ZHÛVRAG DURG!"

Then, the lead dwarf rushed over and knelt in front of Gurndin. "My lord Darksmasher! Clan Molbrak heard the keening strikes of the Hammer of Dawn and rushed to your side. Command us, and we shall lay siege to your enemies, my lord."

The kneeling Dwarf slammed his fist into his chest in a salute, and the nearly fifty warriors standing in formation spoke as one, "THÛRN'NOR! DEZAR'NOR!"

Their fists stuck their armored chests in unison. Gurndin nodded. "TRAZK DURGIR, GORIMZARUN NOR THÛRN!"

The leader looked up and appeared as though he might cry with joy. Gurndin continued. "We have dealt with the rogue God and are currently in negotiations. I would assign ye' all a task to hold up my end o' the bargain struck."

"Anything, my Lord!" The lead dwarf said.

Gurndin nodded. "Ye'll pick the ten of ye' who are best at working stone, and ye'll stay here to complete the orders of the humans. Then ye' shall pick three who need class advancement, and upon the culmination of Primordial flight, those three shall be here."

The lead dwarf simply nodded. "As you wish it, my lord!"

"Now then," Gurndin said with a smile, "ten dwarvish stone smiths should be more'n enough to achieve what ye' want, and I'm sure that they can help ye' with materials. I would say this far, for my part, is fair."

"Agreed," Julia said with a smile.

Julia inhaled to continue finalizing the plan, and then a message appeared.

>Local Message: Rectification calculations complete
>Local Message: Beginning Rectification Issuance