Rifts Adventure IC

[Sherwood]

The three share a chuckle at Eron's words. The man then takes another drink and when he sets the mug down, he says, "Of course, where are my manners? I am known by many names, but for the moment the one you can call me is Archer." He looks over at Eron and asks, "You were there, too? One of the adventurers that were responsible for the destruction of one of the most hated beings of the multiverse, and you say it was by accident? I would like to hear that story."

The younger woman rolls her eyes. She says in Greek, "Really? Story time? Do I need to remind you that we are under a time constraint?" She glances over at the older woman as she says that.

Archer replies in the same language, "What would you have me do? Rely upon someone to take care of such an important task without learning if they are up for it? This will not take that long, dear sister."

The older woman says nothing, and simply sits and enjoys her drink in silence.

Switching back to English, Archer says, "Please forgive my sister. She is a bit of an impatient one at the moment, which is odd considering how long she is willing to devote to a good hunt. Can you please share the details of that day? I can make it worth your while if you would indulge me."

 

[Psychie]

Terra glances over at Eron and Snowfall before giving off a shrug. Archer. Clearly not his real name. Whatever it is that has brought them here must be important enough to maintain some degree of anonymity. She says, "Sure. It is a good story to tell. Sit back and relax, and we can tell you how it all happened." She glances down at her mug and sees that it is almost empty, and waves her hand to get a refill. One of the perks of owning the place, am I right?

 

[Sherwood]

Depending on how detailed that Terra gets, and if Eron and Snowfall decide to chime in, the story takes some time to tell properly. Archer, his sister and the old woman all ask some probing questions of you, and as time goes by, the three seem to be satisfied with what you've shared with them. By this time, a fairly decent sized crowd has formed to hear the story, and everyone is listening to the tale with fascination.

Finally, Archer and his sister look to the old woman, and she gives a slight nod. He then asks, "Is there a place where we can talk in private? There is a matter of some importance that we would like to discuss with you. I can make it well worth your while."

 

[Psychie]

Terra nods, saying, "Sure. There are some private rooms in the back that we can go to. They are right back this way." Whatever test we were being given, we must have passed it or else we wouldn't be moving forward to this next step. Maybe we'll get to learn who we are really dealing with, and what they want with us.

She rises up and looks to her friends to gather them up because there is a really good chance that this is going to involve them all doing something rather fun and somewhat dangerous, and if that is true, there are no other beings in this world that she would want at her side besides Eron and Snowfall. Morrolan is starting to be a good friend and teacher, and she hopes that the elf would be willing to join them, too.

 

[Purr]

Snowfall delivers the first round of drinks and any others...

She glances down at her mug and sees that it is almost empty, and waves her hand to get a refill. One of the perks of owning the place, am I right?

...including Terra's.

As the conversation goes on, Snowfall treats these three guests with the highest respect while only calling them by the names they wish to be called.

In his Kitsune form, Snowfall keeps the wacky side of him well under control as he delivers facts, strategies, and knowledge in the forms of how they defeated what they were up against and why it was so important to do it the way they did, Salnesh especially.

If asked specifically for his perspective, he makes no comments filled with bravado. Snowfall sincerely expresses that he was scared the entire time but was not willing to let his fears outweigh his dreams or some lack of bravery further endanger his friends.

"It was more than just a job for our employer, it was more than just a duty to reclaim the enchanted pyramid for our newfound friends in Central America, or even a matter of personal honor for Eron - this was a matter of cosmic proportions.

"Vampire intelligences, no matter how powerful, are not unique - but Salnesh was. Eron knew enough to convince us of that.

"Vanquishing Salnesh permanently became the highest priority. Not only to provide closure for all of those that he had wronged, but to make absolutely certain Salnesh never committed another evil act again. His brand of evil was so unusual that it had to be dealt with in a way that left no doubt to his end. And we did everything in our power to see it through.

"To do anything less was inexcusable and indefensible given who Terra's Terminators are and what we stand for. And if we had to do it all over again, I do not believe I would change anything. So here's to teamwork and the best of friends to make it all happen!" Snowfall's seven tails wiggle as he raises this toast.

 

[Purr]

Finally, Archer and his sister look to the old woman, and she gives a slight nod. He then asks, "Is there a place where we can talk in private? There is a matter of some importance that we would like to discuss with you. I can make it well worth your while."

Terra nods, saying, "Sure. There are some private rooms in the back that we can go to. They are right back this way."

As one of Inari's celestial messengers of over seven and a half centuries, Snowfall has frequented more royal courts and noble houses in both the physical and spiritual realms of the megaverse, especially in and around Japan, than most people even know exist.

The way of Japanese hospitality - unobtrusiveness, thoughtfulness, politeness, humility, and with genuine warmth - Snowfall extends every courtesy to the trio, especially the old woman. Snowfall moves only at her pace and attempts to see to her every need.

 

[Sherwood]

Walking along with Terra, the three strangers and Morrolan head towards the private rooms towards the back of the bar. The old woman sees Snowfall step to her side, and with a smile on her face, she offers out her arm to you to help her walk. Her arm feels very strong in your hand, but you do notice that she does place a bit of her weight on you, even as she keeps her head up high.

Silanon Unless you say you don't join them, I will assume that you are coming along.

Once everyone is at the room, the younger woman positions herself in the hall, blocking the entrance to prevent eavesdropping from someone putting their ear to the door and trying to listen into what is being said inside. With the door shut, the man calling himself Archer quickly casts the warding spell Frequency Jamming to prevent electronic bugs from broadcasting what is about to be discussed here.

With everyone in a seat, Archer says, "I trust that what we are about to talk about here will be in total confidence?" He waits for some sort of positive answer from all of you before going on. "As you might have guessed, my proper name is not Archer. You will know me better by my Greek name, Apollo. My sister outside the door is Artemis, and this," he looks over at the elderly woman, "is Athena. We are here because of treachery and deceit from Ares that has laid a curse upon Athena, stripping her of the bulk of her power and placing her life at risk. She is dying, and we are unable to do anything to stop it."

The old Athena clears her throat, saying, "I do not believe that Ares is the initiator of this plot, but instead I feel that he is a pawn that was duped into his role. But at this point, it matters not. I have had my powers ripped from me and locked into my spear, and the spear was the broken into pieces and scattered across the Earth. For reasons that I cannot go into at this time, we are unable to recover these pieces ourselves. That is why we have come here, to find the band of adventurers that were able to take out a Vampire Intelligence to plead for your aid. The pieces of my spear must be gathered and brought to Hephaestus to reassemble them so I can recover my shattered soul before I waste away and perish."

Apollo looks at the four of you and says, "Obviously, this is not going to be easy. As a part of your payment for taking on this quest, we are willing to pull some strings to have Hephaestus make special armor and shields for you. Without this armor, even your band of adventurers may not be able to survive the challenges that lay ahead of you; assuming that you agree to do this, of course."

Athena gives off a tired smile, saying, "There is a time limit that needs to be addressed. Each day that goes by, my strength fades even more, and soon enough, my life will come to an end. This is why we have come here to you. We need your help. I wish to also add that if you were to be able to gather the pieces of the spear, I would literally owe you my life, and that is a debt that I do not take lightly."

"No doubt you have many questions for us before you agree to do this. Please, ask what you will and we will answer to the best of our ability."

 

[Psychie]

Terra takes a deep breath and tries to ease the whirlwind in her mind. It is one thing to know that the Greek gods are real, but it is quite another to have three of them sitting at the table in front of her! After her moment, she looks at the three and says, "Oh, my. This is a lot to take in." She takes a big swig from her drink, feeling the buzz in her head more soundly than before.

"I do have questions, and I'm sure my friends do, too. The biggest one for me is, the Earth is rather large and these spear pieces are rather small. How are we to find them? And I have to guess that there is something guarding the pieces or else we could just walk up and grab them. Do you know what these guards are? And how many pieces of the spear are there? Finally, how much time do we have to get the pieces back?" The idea of having Athena actually die is one that Terra doesn't want to entertain.

 

[Purr]

Snowfall sounds as if he has never been more serious in all his life when he firmly tells Apollo, "You had me at 'laid a curse upon Athena.'" Snowfall bows reverently to her first, then to Apollo and his sister Artemis, outside and with those words, he is as 'in' on this mission as a Kitsune can be.

Having long been in the company of great creatures, both truly divine and utterly foul and nearly everything in between, Snowfall shows no surprise to be in their presence. His surprise stems from the very idea that they require mortal assistance - these are very high stakes indeed for deities as great and as celebrated as these to take these steps and visit Terra's Terminator's personally when, at least in Snowfall's experiences, the mortals come at the gods' behest and immediately if they value their lives and their family's. The beckoning of a samurai, a lord, or a magistrate was enough to send any common person hurrying, but to the shogun? The emperor himself? And the deities above them? Japanese mortals know which side their rice is buttered on. A seemingly-ageless Kitsune like Snowfall, himself a longtime servant of Inari, knows these things all too well.

This is why he praises Athena with his every action. Though Artemis herself be at the door, Snowfall takes from the bushido code of the samurai and becomes instantly ready to defend Athena from any threat. Although he makes no move to display it, his every sense is open for her protection. In truth, Snowfall became her servant the moment they sat at the table in Terra's, for was this not his leader's property? Would Terra not lose face if he acted otherwise? From here on out, and for as long as she is here at "Terra's," Snowfall is Athena's own shadow unless dismissed.

Snowfall knows he will physically put his life on the line, his body between Athena and danger, and kill at a moment's notice. Such is the bond between gods and their servants. If asked, he is simply showing good manners, but in reality, Snowfall sees himself as the only representative of Inari, the goddess of foxes, fertility, and fortune. He believes it is only right that he treat the Good-aligned gods of other pantheons the way he would have Inari treated should she or her own ever have need to visit Mount Olympus. What Snowfall does here reflects on Inari, or so he believes.

Good manners indeed!

Besides all this, Snowfall cannot help but see Athena as simply a being who just plain needs help, however strange that help might be. For him, Gods are people too - just older and on a different set of rules than nearly everyone else. Things happened to them too! One need only look no farther than Snowfall's hip where Fragarach sat sheathed to know this, for was this not Mannanan Mac Lir's very own sword?

Even with the gods... stuff happens!

Snowfall only hoped that Terra's Terminators were up to the task that these three great Greek gods themselves could not perform. He has no doubt in his heart that Eron and Terra are willing though he cannot say for Morrolan.

"Please," Snowfall requests. "Tell us all that you are able?"

 

[Sherwood]

Terra takes a deep breath and tries to ease the whirlwind in her mind. It is one thing to know that the Greek gods are real, but it is quite another to have three of them sitting at the table in front of her! After her moment, she looks at the three and says, "Oh, my. This is a lot to take in." She takes a big swig from her drink, feeling the buzz in her head more soundly than before.

"I do have questions, and I'm sure my friends do, too. The biggest one for me is, the Earth is rather large and these spear pieces are rather small. How are we to find them? And I have to guess that there is something guarding the pieces or else we could just walk up and grab them. Do you know what these guards are? And how many pieces of the spear are there? Finally, how much time do we have to get the pieces back?" The idea of having Athena actually die is one that Terra doesn't want to entertain.

Apollo nods. "We totally understand. This is not something that happens every day, even for us." He leans back in his seat and lets out a sigh. "First off, we have a piece of the spear here with us. It is linked with the others, and with its guidance, it will lead you to the other pieces. We know that there is one piece somewhere in China, another in Germany, a third in Brazil, and the last missing piece is on the frozen continent of Antartica. Each piece is in the possession of a powerful supernatural entity, but the details of exactly what each being is has been clouded from our view."

"Now, to answer the question of 'how long do you have', we are not entirely sure, but from the rate that Athena is fading, we feel that you have about a month before her condition is too far gone to be able to recover from. Clearly the sooner that the pieces are gathered and returned to Hephaestus, the better it will be."

Athena looks at each of you, and says, "We have been banned from going to Earth by Zeus Himself, or else it would be possible for us to get the pieces of the spear back ourselves. I must also warn you, this will put you in direct opposition with Ares, and he is not one to follow rules as we are. It may happen that you might run into him directly. I don't wish to scare you, but it is a real possibility. This is why we wanted to make sure your story of eliminating the Vampire Intelligence was not a piece of creative fiction, but was in fact truth."

Apollo says, "If you agree to aid us, we can take you to Olympus to get your first gift of the armor from Hephaestus as soon as you are ready to travel." It is clear that he is very much hoping that you all agree to this.

Morrolan looks to be in a bit of a haze, obviously a bit overwhelmed with the idea of facing three of the Greek gods. He stands and offers a deep bow to the two deities in the room with you. "I don't know about the others, but I would be honored to be able to help you in any way that I can."

 

[Purr]

Snowfall's expression does not change. They already have his answer. Unless he has things he needs to gather up, he turns to Terra and after a brief prayer to Inari, Snowfall simply says, "I am ready."

"If fortune is with us," he tries to reassure Athena, "perhaps each piece of the spear we recover will add to your vitality and give you more reason to smile."

 

[Silanon]

As the others get seated inside the room, Eron is the last to enter - after trying to let the younger woman go in first. When she doesn't... he slips through the door, but makes no effort to get himself a chair. Instead, he leans against the wall - near the windows if there are any, or next to the door if there are not. If eavesdropping might be a problem, there might be more than unwelcome listeners as well, right? Both hands rest on the hilts of his swords, eyes warily watching the surrounding - standing watch suits him better than fancy talk, anyway.

Still, none of the strangers' words are wasted on him; and though he tries to hide it, they leave an impression. It's not every day that someone tells you that you might face a God - or that one might have been manipulated in the first place. Few wicked and powerful enough to do such a thing come to mind. One name more than any other. Salnesh. It might be a stretch. It might also be quite the grand scheme, and he was a schemer...

"Could have been him", he muses loudly as others begin to ask the important questions, before he chimes in as well. "Antarctica last - just in case that god decides to fight us only in the end. We'd want it to happen where no one cares. I've been in Brazil - for a while, at least. It's where I became stronger at last, after all. The other places - no idea. But we'll figure it out and get it done." There's confidence in his voice as he says that.

"We've got the fox. An elf, The two of us. And Terra, or I'll find myself another place to drink. Always ready to get going, myself. Just lead the way, and I'll follow."

 

[Psychie]

Terra is quiet for a moment, her mind racing. When she finally speaks, she says, "I can be ready to travel in fifteen minutes. I just want to grab my gear that I don't have on me. We will succeed in this, m'lady. That I swear."

Looking to her friends, she gives a grin. "Lets get packing! No sense in waiting any longer, is there?"

 

[Sherwood]

Apollo and Athena both look relieved as all four of you state that you are in. The male god nods, saying, "Outstanding. Gather what supplies you will need and meet back here. Once all of you are ready, we will go to Olympus for the first part of your payment from Hephaestus. He is one of the finest blacksmiths in the Multiverse, and any armor he crafts will be most helpful to you."

Leaving the room, Artemis is still parked just outside the door. She is leaning against the wall, a glare on her face keeping all from coming closer to eavesdrop on what is going on in the room. As you leave, Artemis looks to her brother and Athena with a questioning expression. When they nod, she looks relieved, saying, "Thank Zeus that at least one thing has gone right this day. When do we leave?"

Apollo replies, "Our new allies will go to gather their gear then we will leave from here for the trip to Olympus. We will wait for them to return here."

It doesn't take long for you to retrieve your things from your rooms and then hustle back to the bar. With everyone now set to travel, Athena, Apollo and Artemis look to the four of you. "Are you ready to leave here? Do you have what you need, knowing that you can always come back if you've forgotten something."

Silanon Purr Psychie

 

[Purr]

Snowfall grabs the spare Dimensional Pocket he kept in the Badger.

Since he has fifteen whole minutes of time, he looks to Athena. "Honored One. Do you require anything before we depart?" If she replies to the negative, he turns to Apollo and Artemis and asks the same.

 

[Psychie]

Terra is moving quickly to gather up her gear. Guns, ammo, armor, crystal items. All stuff that might come in handy with this run to save a god. Its not like we don't have the ability to come back here and resupply if we need it, but best to be prepared! With her things stuffed into the pair of Dimensional Pocket bags that she has and slung over her shoulder, the Atlantean flies back to the tavern to where the others are waiting for her with time to spare.

 

[Rykon]

A loud rush of wind buffets the ground to herald the arrival of the young hatchling. Just as his feet hit the ground Zephiron returns to his humanoid form dusting off his regal ensemble before approaching the bar with a deliberately restrained knock before entering. He blinked, taking in the atmosphere of the establishment before locking eyes with Brazamal, head tilted in consideration. "It is time to go soon I trust? I've my belongings at hand already. Not like there's much to haul yet. Anything in particular I should know or should we save that for the trip?"

 

[Sherwood]

Snowfall grabs the spare Dimensional Pocket he kept in the Badger.

Since he has fifteen whole minutes of time, he looks to Athena. "Honored One. Do you require anything before we depart?" If she replies to the negative, he turns to Apollo and Artemis and asks the same.

When Snowfall first addresses Athena, she gives a pleasant smile. "I can see why Inari speaks so highly of you. Your manners are all that I have been told of, and I am pleased with our choice of heroes to restore my health to me once more. Thank you, young one, for your open heart."

Both Artemis and Apollo look both pleased and worried, but they are doing their best to hide their concern for Athena. They are clearly worried for their fellow god, and are frustrated at the restrictions that has been placed upon them by Zeus to keep them from going to Earth. With the life of Athena on the line, they both wish to do whatever they can to restore her to full health, and their hands are tied. Not a good thing for them to have to deal with.

Terra is moving quickly to gather up her gear. Guns, ammo, armor, crystal items. All stuff that might come in handy with this run to save a god. Its not like we don't have the ability to come back here and resupply if we need it, but best to be prepared! With her things stuffed into the pair of Dimensional Pocket bags that she has and slung over her shoulder, the Atlantean flies back to the tavern to where the others are waiting for her with time to spare.

As Terra lands in the courtyard, she can see that Snowfall and Eron are standing with the three gods, and she remembers seeing Morrolan running up the street from his small apartment that he lives in while here in Eris Nova. He will be back at the tavern in mere moments to be ready to join your quest to go.

A loud rush of wind buffets the ground to herald the arrival of the young hatchling. Just as his feet hit the ground Zephiron returns to his humanoid form dusting off his regal ensemble before approaching the bar with a deliberately restrained knock before entering. He blinked, taking in the atmosphere of the establishment before locking eyes with Brazamal, head tilted in consideration. "It is time to go soon I trust? I've my belongings at hand already. Not like there's much to haul yet. Anything in particular I should know or should we save that for the trip?"

It is a sign of how common dragons in Eris Nova are that when Zephiron comes flying down to the tavern that hardly anyone does more than glance over at the door to see what that whoosh of wind was from. Zeph has had the chance to meet two other old dragons that are close allies to the Atlantean Draco Amicus clan, and has been made to feel welcome by all that live here. Very nice people.

Going inside, you can see your friends of Eron, Terra, and Snowfall standing close by three people in conversation with them, two women and one man. The man is wearing what looks like an armored breastplate and has a longbow over his shoulder with a sword at his hip and a quiver of arrows on his back. He is a tall and very handsome man, standing over 6'3" without any hint of fat on his frame, with dark hair and a chiseled chin, and if you were to be forced to guess, you would say he is in his mid-thirties.

The first woman is a slight bit younger and a touch shorter than the man, and they have enough features in common with one another that you would have to guess that they are siblings. She has long hair that is pulled back in a bun, a slim waist and a beautiful face. She is also packing a longbow, quiver, a sword and is also wearing archaic style body armor. Sitting on the woman's shoulder is a small brown squirrel, and a large wolf is on her heel.

The second woman is much older, easily in her late sixties at the least, but even so, she is still a very beautiful woman. Her own long, black hair is pulled back in a braid running down to the middle of her back, and her eyes are bright even with her age. She, too, is wearing archaic looking armor, and has a short sword on her hip and an ornate round shield hanging on hooks on her back. Sitting on her shoulder is a large white owl, its large eyes darting about.

All three have a very powerful presence to them that seems to fill the room.

Watching them from a slightly greater distance is your mentor, Brazamal. He is watching the three strangers intently, but suddenly looks over at Zeph when you come up. "Ah! There you are. I was wondering when you would be showing up today. Your timing is good, my boy. I have a very strong feeling that our friends are up to something, and the assistance of one of the Great Wyrms of the world couldn't hurt. I would suggest you go see what is going on, and try to make sure you have your toe claw in the door."

 

[Psychie]

When Terra sees her friend Zephiron come into the tavern, she immediately brightens up. Looking to the three gods, she says, "That is a member of our team that was involved in the fight against the Vampire Intelligence. He's a good one to have on your side." She heads over to the table where he's at with Brazamal, and says, "Zeph! Your timing is perfect. If you are up for an adventure with us where the odds are against us and lives depend upon our success, we sure could use your help! This is going to be awesome, and I think you'll be kicking yourself for years to come if you don't come along with us."

 

[Rykon]

Zeph gives Terra a warm smile and a nod at her approach. "Sure! I can't take all the credit for that though. I was sent a message to come here. I didn't bother to verify who it was from, only something about adventure with promises of good food and some new books. I had assumed it was from Morrolan, and now I'm kinda surprised he isn't here. Then again, he's been busy enough that I've had to get used to delegating errands or favors to other retainers." The princely young figure rubs at his eyes with a tired sigh. "Perhaps, one day I'll have had enough travels behind me to find as capable attendants as my senior here has. Alas... it is not this day..."

 

[Sherwood]

As Terra is greeting the young dragon, Morrolan finally comes hurrying into the tavern, pockets now full of various trinkets and items that he has been able to acquire over the past several months of time here on Eris Nova. He moves in close to keep his voice down, saying, "I see that everyone is waiting on me again. I always seem to be the last one out the door. Sorry to keep you all on hold." The elf looks over at Zephiron and says, "You got my message? Good. From what I've heard of your prowess in a fight, I had the thought that you would be a welcome addition to our effort to recover the missing pieces of the spear." He looks around to see who might be listening into the conversation, making sure to not go into detail on exactly what it is that you are going after and why.

Artimis lets out a grumpy noise, saying, "Well, if everyone is here, can we get on our way? We are losing time, and our blacksmith will probably have to do some work for them still."

Apollo places a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Fear not, dear sister. I have a good feeling about this. I am confident that our new friends will be able to recover the missing pieces of the spear in plenty of time for our blacksmith to reassemble it. But that being said, I see no reason why we cannot be on the move. Shall we go? You can bring your late comer up to speed on the way."

If there are no objections, he heads out the door to get a large enough space in order to cast a gateway spell to get you all to Olympus where you will be getting your new armor or shield from Hephaestus' workshop. Now outside, the handsome god casts a spell to open a rift with your destination being the home of the Greek gods.

Stepping through the rift, you find yourself in a beautiful garden surrounded by large hedges. There is a veritable wave of magical energy that flows over you, giving you all a bit of a bounce in your step as you follow the three gods through to their home dimension. Olympus is as wonderful and beautiful as you could have possibly imagined with its stunning architecture and tree-lined pathways. The sky is a cheery blue, with a handful of high wispy clouds drifting across your view. Truly a remarkable place.

You quickly see that you are not the only mortal travelers here as you make your way down the road. Several different creatures can be seen coming and going along the way, most of which seem to be able to tell that the trio leading you are not your average people, and they step aside to make way for your party, many offering up a respectful bow as you go past.

The workshop of Hephaestus is a large temple devoted to crafting some of the finest works of metal and art that the multiverse has ever seen. Dozens of people are hard at work here, working their hammers amidst the blazing heat of the forge. Sparks fly from the metal as it is being worked, all under the watchful eye of an older man with a lame foot, limping about the place, making sure that the work being done is of top quality and making those that fall short start over with their efforts to make something marvelous to meet their teacher's approval.

The old man with his lame foot sees the group come in, and he lets out a loud roar, "APOLLO YOU OLD DOG! IT HAS TAKEN YOU LONG ENOUGH TO GET HERE! ITS NOT LIKE I HAVE ANYTHING BETTER TO DO WITH MY TIME THAN WAIT FOR YOU!"

"Be calm, Hephaestus. We are here now. These are the travelers I had told you about. What can you do for us?"

The older man glares a bit at Apollo before looking at the five of you with a slightly less aggravated expression. He finally says, "Come with me and I'll see what I can do." Hephaestus turns and leads you through the temple to a quieter room in the back with the walls lined with various weapons, suits of armor and shields of various types, a veritable arsenal of ancient weapons. The god of the forge lowers himself down in a seat and turns his attention to look at the adventurers in his trophy room.

Hephaestus waves his hands out to either side, saying, "These are some of the finest pieces I've ever made. Apollo, your people here can choose one item out of my collection each, be it a shield, suit of armor, or a weapon forged by the greatest craftsman in Olympus. I will collect my fee from you at a later time."

 

[Psychie]

Terra is feeling full of wonder as she walks the fabled paths of Olympus, eyes looking everywhere to take in as much of this moment as possible. With each person that they pass, she wonders if that is another one of the great Greek gods that has just crossed their paths. She can't help but think, This is going to be an epic tale to tell once we are all done with this quest!

Approaching the temple of Hephaestus, she is once more marveled at the wide variety of beings that have come here from across the Megaverse to learn the ways of crafting artifacts at the feet of the master blacksmith himself. Then, the grumpy god leads them to the trophy room and takes a seat, offering up to them their choice of armor or shield. Terra steps forward towards Hephaestus and offers up a deep bow and holds it. "Honored One, I am Terra Alvana, of the Draco Amicus clan from Eris Nova. With great humility, I stand before you to say 'thank you' for this once-in-a-lifetime honor to take a piece of god-forged armor from this workshop. I swear that my allies and I will do your great work proud as we travel forth once more."

Standing up once more, she slowly makes her way over to the display wall covered in amazing gear. Swords, shields and armor worthy of legend all by themselves all arrayed here before her, waiting for her to choose what she wants. Terra hardly breathes as she looks at each marvel one at a time, not even daring to soil the perfection of the works with the touch of her hands, right up to the point that she sees her reflection in the surface of one of the shields. It calls out to her, and with a shaky grip, she reaches out and lifts the shield from its display rack.

Fitting the shield into place on her left arm, Terra feels the light weight of the shield with a sense of amazement. It should be heavier, bulkier for its size, but it was like next to no weight on her side. She then draws her own rune blade and strikes a guard position, seeing how it felt to have the two weapons in hand at once. Yes, this is the one. With that thought, Terra slides her blade back home in its sheath and turns to the waiting gods. "Honored beings, if it were to be allowed, I would graciously accept this shield as my payment, and use it in combat with pleasure."

Turning to look at the rest of the party, she looks with curiosity as to what each of her friends will go take as their own prize for this quest.

 

[Purr]

Hephaestus waves his hands out to either side, saying, "These are some of the finest pieces I've ever made. Apollo, your people here can choose one item out of my collection each, be it a shield, suit of armor, or a weapon forged by the greatest craftsman in Olympus. I will collect my fee from you at a later time."

Hephaestus! The Greek God of Blacksmiths. It was written that this giant of a forgemaster had created masterful pieces beyond humans, dwarves, dragons, and his fellow gods altogether. Altruism. Vileness. These things were not important to him. What he could do with the forge was. Cyclopses, fire elementals, efreet, demons - he had helpers among all of them and the dwarves especially loved him for sometimes he shared his secrets with the small folk. Or so it was writ.

Either way, Snowfall and his companions found themselves before him now.

According to this dialogue they had just overheard, Apollo had made contract with Hephaestus and it was not Terra's Terminators that would be burdened with the price, but the Archer himself. Apollo. The Greek god of the sun, prophecy, music, and archery. If he could not satisfy the god of blacksmith's price, who could? The Greeks had been a fierce, passionate people for longer than most humans knew and their gods knew of these matters far beyond their mortal worshippers. None of this was lost on Snowfall. It was an incredible honor for lesser beings such as himself and his party to be standing here, much less have choice of what Hephaestus had just called "some of the finest pieces I've ever made." How the Greeks Snowfall had known in lifetimes past would be frothing at the mouth, mad with jealousy, willing to trade all and more, to simply stand where Snowfall was now standing!

For Athena to have need of mere mortals was one thing - to stand in Olympus and not be both Greek and dead - was a moment Snowfall realized he would carry with him for as long as he existed.

"Honored One, I am Terra Alvana, of the Draco Amicus clan from Eris Nova. With great humility, I stand before you to say 'thank you' for this once-in-a-lifetime honor to take a piece of god-forged armor from this workshop. I swear that my allies and I will do your great work proud as we travel forth once more."

Standing behind his leader as was his place, Snowfall bowed with her and only rose when she rose.

"Honored beings, if it were to be allowed, I would graciously accept this shield as my payment, and use it in combat with pleasure."

Snowfall had no earthly (or unearthly) clue as to how Terra had come to her decision - perhaps it was her Atlantean blood for ever had the Greeks and Atlanteans been linked. Not so the Kitsune of Chinese, Ainu, and Japanese folklore! Snowfall, despite his expertise in eldritch matters, his countless light years traveled across the Megaverse, and his centuries lived and lived well, could not begin to know where to start. So in utter humility (and with what he hoped was not foolishness), Snowfall approaches the one who made them all. Once more, he bows deeply.

"Peerless master of the forge, I could live another seven and a half centuries and never behold such marvels as these! I do not mean to flatter when I tell you - never before have I stood in an armory as great and majestic as this! Could I ask you, who know each of these wonders, which do you think might best suit me? Frankly, I do not know where to begin! To choose randomly seems the height of foolishness, and yet Lady Athena has not the time for me to dally. What should I do, Master Hephaestus?"

Spoiler: OOC

See OOC page?

 

[Sherwood]

"Peerless master of the forge, I could live another seven and a half centuries and never behold such marvels as these! I do not mean to flatter when I tell you - never before have I stood in an armory as great and majestic as this! Could I ask you, who know each of these wonders, which do you think might best suit me? Frankly, I do not know where to begin! To choose randomly seems the height of foolishness, and yet Lady Athena has not the time for me to dally. What should I do, Master Hephaestus?"

The grumpy old god rises from his seat and walks over to Snowfall and eyes you critically, looking you up and down. He finally says, "Your choice of armor or shield will depend upon the fighting style you prefer. If you are skilled with the blade on your hip, a shield would be a good match. But which one?" He turns to look at the wall of artifacts, his mind going over the properties that he gave each one. Finally, Hephaestus reaches out and lifts one shield off of the pegs that hold it in place and holds it out to Snowfall. "Here. Take this and see how it feels on your arm."

The shield is lightweight, but definitely not flimsy. You can feel the strength of the materials and the fine craftsmanship behind its construction. When you slide it on your arm, it feels like a good fit. As you are looking it over and admiring the runes worked into the metal, Hephaestus nods. "Yes. That one suits you. If you decide to take that, it will serve you well on your quest to restore our beloved Athena."

While Snowfall is examining the shield, Morrolan is also looking at the various pieces of equipment. He stops at a suit of chain armor and asks, "Master Hephaestus, what can you tell me of this armor?"

"That armor is stronger than it looks. It can withstand the most grievous of damage and repair itself, piecing itself together once more even if shredded up into small pieces, and you can still cast your spells with it on. It will serve you well, master elf wizard."

Morrolan nods with a smile. "I thank you, Master Hephaestus. I will choose this armor to protect me from what is out there, and with luck its regenerative properties will not need to be put to the test." He lifts the armor up from its display rack, and then slips the suit of magic chain mail on. Still with a grin on his face, he poses for everyone to see his new acquisition. "How do I look? I say, once the armor is on, it is like its not even there! So light and not binding in any place. I feel like I am ready to take on the world."

The old master of the forge then looks over at Zephiron. "I have few suits of armor that will work with a dragon's ability to shift forms, but that doesn't mean I don't have something that will. If you wish the armor, this suit," he lifts a suit of mail off of the wall, "will adjust to your size, no matter what form you are in. It, too, will regenerate from damage taken over time, and it is light enough that you will not be impeded in flight. It is that, or you can pick a good shield. What do you wish, young dragon?"

 

[Rykon]

Zephiron blinked, somewhat confused by the divinity's choice of words. Glancing over at the Olympian's face, Zephiron presumed he should proceed to pick from a few options presented and gave a polite nod in response. He didn't take long to consider the broader options. "Well, if my choice is between shield or armor, I chose armor. A shield would make cramped quarters combat or casting too clumsy for my liking. At least, when paired with the weapon I've already trained with."

The young man's eyes blurred and shifted, taking on the narrow reptilian pupils of Zephiron's true form. He glanced over each offering with his mind's eye just as wind open as the natural ones. "Ah, right... A moment if you would kind sir. I may still be a fresh hatchling, but I should still test the spirit of these fine works to see which might be cooperative." Now sensing auras, the young dragon appraised each suit of armor with a touch, some auras pressing against his own in futile defiance, others retreating. This, he expected. Not every weapon or tool is suited to every wielder. Why should armor be different in that regard?

Eventually, he came to a set of armor with an aura of a color matching his own. Smoky hues wafted toward his transfigured hand as he reached out to check its disposition. Before he could even check for resistance he had already attuned and bonded to its spirit. A glancing touch to inspect the quality of the suit felt as familiar as inspecting his own brilliant, royal scales, and yet its own life and will surged with electric intensity. His aura sight now fading, Zephiron looked over a suit of metal and woven fibers seemingly wrought from the sky itself. For decorations, it bore only a few tasteful embellishments aside from what he assumed to be necessary mystical engravings.

"I see... I'd like this one!"