A Thousand Sparks

After three wars of tension and war in the region, Banifourd is ransomed back to the Gaur in a general amnesty, after the Night of Long Knives cleared Crimsith Peak of Danyan collaborators. The Duchy of the Guar paid two diems a piece for some six thousand general captives, while Danyan was forced to pay a lune a piece for several hundred soldiers, and five gold sol for a the return of a General along with several members of his family. Pai Ternays thought it an excellent price, and after the ransom was paid, he had words with the man concerning his last encounters with Creigal. After their conversation, Banifourd is given a gold sovereign for each year of his troubles. He uses the money to go back to Wibbeley, where it is still remembered he has a stake in a bordello. One of the bordello girls, a manic and vicious tart named Pearl, promptly stabs him in the kidney with her boot knife.

Crea meets the dragon

The mighty beast cocked its head to the side. Crea stopped. With a sigh, the dragon began to speak. “I know you are there, creature. It is best you tell your intentions.”

Crea’s heart thumped in her chest, for this was the moment of truth, though she did not pause. “My name is Crea! I’d tell you of my people, but they are no more!” she called out. “I come baring gifts for your magnificence – and perhaps a question or two, if you’d be willing…” she added lamely.

“Gifts? Well that is a good place to start,” the great beast rolled over and caught sight of Crea rather quickly. “My name is GradduraGouth. What is it you bring me, Crea?”

She opened her pack and began to rummage through it. “Spices, herbs, medicines, and metal!” Crea called as she lifted the jar toward the dragon. “This is silversage; a medicine among us humans.” She went on and told of its use to cure the drips.

“Oh my,” GradduraGouth replied as Crea handed him the bottle. “And what else do you have for me?”

Crea pulled more jars from her pack. She named them and described their uses: foxbane, peacebloom, fio, conicle, blue tips. “And metals!” She declared. “I only have one gold coin, but I also have silver, copper, iron, and a small vial of mercury.”

“Mercury!” GradduraGouth smiled. “It’s been ages since anyone brought me mercury!”

Crea gave it to the great beast. “What will you do with it?”

“What I do with all of it,” the great beast smiled. “I shall treasure it for a time and when it is needed, or perhaps merely wanted, I will consume it.”

“You eat it?” Crea asked. “Why would you do such a thing?”

A low rumble shook the earth. For a long second the sound confused Crea until she realized the beast was chuckling. “Metal fuels our fire,” GradduraGouth explained. “Mercury gives us an even, direct, and intense heat – but with a very limited range.”

“What do the other metals do for you?” Crea asked.

The great beast leaned back. “Is that what you came to ask me? About metals?”

“No,” Crea admitted.

“Well, that is no reason not to tell you briefly, since you did bother to ask,” GradduraGouth smiled. “Copper gives us a concentrated electricity that can travel incredible distances but can’t be maintained. Like a bolt of lightning that I can aim. Iron is incredibly hot, and fans out to cover a greater area, but with a shortened range. Silver burns hot and cold at the same time. It is a strategic metal, as I can breathe on multiple targets and only injure those I wish.”

“That is incredible,” Crea whispered.

“I can show you if you’d like,” GradduraGouth said.

“That’s okay,” Crea answered. “What of gold?”

“Gold is the fire. No gold means no fire at all,” GradduraGouth replied. “The others metals alter the fire, but there still needs to be a fire to be altered.”

Crea blinked. “You must eat a lot of gold.”

The dragon shook its massive head. “Not really. It burns very efficiently.”

“And the other metals? You have to use them until they burn out?”

“No,” GradduraGouth said. “We store them and use them as we need – though there are times when I simply go without.”

“Wait until we talk of the other shortcomings in your sight!” cried the dragon with a laugh. “For I see we shall have to have long conversations about such simple concepts as time, art, and water after this.”

“Water?” Crea frowned.

GradduraGouth shook his massive head and gave a snort. “Do not be offended, child. There is much to know, and few enough teachers worth their salt. Among most of them is a sea of nonsense and myopic certainty.”

“Which is why I’ve sought you out – to have answered the burning questions of my heart!” Crea pleaded.

“This,” the dragon agreed. “But also for your own glory. It is commendable and worth a brag, to entertain with a dragon. How few commune with us and live to tell?”

Crea gulped. “You are renowned hunters, and if I understand correctly, humans are on the menu.”

GradduraGouth nodded. “Though I would never eat such a considerate, young lady – and none other will hunt the path to my door. I have eaten a fair number of humans for a half dozen different reasons, though you are not my favorite meat,” GradduraGouth paused. He began again in a slow, considerate fashion. “There are several preparations I find acceptable. I most certainly like a good gaur au gratin,” he shook his head. “I feel most rush the baking…” he paused as he noticed that Crea was blanching at his comments. “At the moment I am not hungry – and I rarely eat guests. It is the height of incivility and is only justified when the guest acts in the most aggressive or reprehensible manner – and you have certainly not, my child,” the mighty dragon blinked. “Is this why you come here? To hear me talk of my diet? What other concerns press upon you, little one? What wisdom, knowledge, and comforts might I bring to your life?”

“I have a great weight in my heart,” Crea began. “I had everything. I had all I wanted, and it was taken from me in one fell swoop.”

“What did you have, my child?”

“Peace,” she hanged her head. “I had family, friends, birds, my own dwelling, a garden... I had the attention of a good man and plans for the perfect life,” she wiped tears from the corner of her eyes. “Why was it taken from me?”

“The perfect life,” GradduraGouth repeated. “If it were perfect, then no calamity could touch it.”

“You know what I mean,” Crea accused.

“I do,” the dragon nodded. “But the winds of change have blown across your life and called you to a different adventure. Do you find no value in what you’ve become? An adventurer with many potent magics, that dares commune with dragons!”

“What do you know of these things?”

“Life is testing you, and despite your protestations, you progress. So I say this, little one: take the time to be what you need to be. Then, when you get to focus on what you want to be, you’ll find you are so very much more,” GradduraGouth stated. “Nothing last forever, including misfortune. The days will turn and the seasons will follow. Accept your losses and be grateful for the fine things you have. Then, when you know you are blessed, you will see your blessings multiplied.”

“That’s all there is to it? Be grateful, and be saved by grace?” Crea asked, dubious.

The dragon leaned in close and stared into her eyes. “No. Then the one true god demands a sacrifice to see if you’re still a true servant of the light, or if you’ve attached yourself to the material once more,” GradduraGouth began. 0omething dreadful will happen, and after you mourn its loss, you are expected to resume your quest with a light heart full of faith, acceptance, and courage.

Although the conversation was long, Crea left enthused and energized.

GradduraGouth gazed after her. “Be careful as you go,” he noted. “There are many dangers in these mountains.”

Crea turned and smiled as she continued down the slim trail. “Thank you.”

The tanner from book 2 falls in love with the smoosh-faced girl from Fowler’s Auction.