52. A Walk in the Iyr

52. A Walk in the Iyr

Omen: 3, 4

Adam stared down at the soup for a long while, staring at the murky liquid, coloured by the herbs and meat.

“What’s wrong?” Jurot eventually asked, but only after his mother elbowed him gently in the side. He had watched Adam for the past couple of hours, noting his terrible mood, but had left him be. feeling unlucky today,” the half elf replied. “I won’t be able to begin enchanting.” He continued to stare into his bowl. He had wanted to enchant desperately. It would help in equipping the pair of them with better gear.

Jurot stared at Adam, wondering if the connection to luck was an elvish thing. His mother elbowed him again. “What do you mean? Why do you feel unlucky?”

“Do you remember when we met Balrog?” Adam asked.

Jurot’s lips grew into a large smile. “Yes,” he said. “I do.” He recalled the feeling of cutting into the man. He wondered when his father would return so he could tell the story.

“I told you I’d make sure you could land a hit on him. Well, if I was as unlucky as today, I wouldn’t be able to guarantee that.”

Jurot nodded his head slowly. “So you will be unable to enchant because you cannot guarantee that it will go well?”

“Exactly,” Adam said, sipping the last of the soup, careful to not choke, in case his luck affected the rest of his life.

Sonarot stared at her son, reaching up to brush his hair, which caused him to bow his head slightly. ‘Oh, how my boy is growing up so fast.’ She hadn’t expected him to understand Adam’s worries, but it seemed she didn’t have to be too worried.

“Will you be unlucky in everything?” Jurot asked, wondering how it worked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to risk it.” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

“Why don’t you walk around with Turot today?” Sonarot asked. “Since Lanarot’s birth, he’s been receiving less attention than usual.”

“Ah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I suppose I should. He’ll be looking after Lanarot whenever we’re gone, so I should treat him well.”

Sonarot smiled, as Adam confirmed he would be returning often to take care of Lanarot.

Once they finished their breakfast, Adam went to find Turot, who was playing with the other children of the Gak, Ool, and Kan families.

“Hey Turot,” he called.

The children instantly stopped playing and turned to stare at Adam. He was a half elf, and though he spent some time with their older siblings, they hadn’t met him properly.

Turot walked over to him. “Yes?” The boy stared up at him with his dark eyes.

“I was just wondering, would you be able to show me around the Iyr?”

Turot stared up at Adam, his eyes quickly brightening up. “Okay!” With that, Turot set off, marching out of the estate and down the road. Adam followed him, wondering where they were going.

As they made their way through the Iyr, a few other children looked at Turot, who was leading the half elf around. The Iyrmen children began to point at them, mumbling something to each other.

Turot let out the smuggest smile he could muster to the other children.

‘Oh?’ Adam thought, noting the behaviour between them. ‘Is he showing off that he knows a half elf? I really shouldn’t spoil him too much...’ He continued to think about the matter for a short while.

‘Though, wouldn’t that increase his status? No, not just his status, but the status of the Rot family? Wouldn’t the other Iyrmen be more eager to help them? Then that popularity could be used to increase Lanarot’s popularity, couldn’t it? They’d be more willing to help her...’

“Look!” Turot declared, snapping Adam out of his thoughts. The half elf’s feet had followed Turot some ways, until they arrived near the river, but at a different section than he was familiar with.

Adam looked where Turot pointed to see a number of water mills spaced some ways from one another. “Oh!” Adam said, excitedly. He hadn’t expected there to be such technology in the Iyr.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 20 (18)

“What’s that watermill for?” he said, noting the weird smell in the air. Not just that, but there was a small bird on one of them, staring right at him.

“It makes paper,” Turot said.

Adam’s ears twitched. ‘Paper?’ He recalled how Turot had casually brought him a small book to use for his recipes. “Can it be used for wizards?”

“Not this one,” Turot said. “This mill is children’s paper.”

“Children’s paper?” Adam asked. For half a moment he thought Turot meant they were making children into paper, only to realise that it was to make paper for children. “You make paper only for children?”

Turot nodded his head. “We get lots of paper.” He rushed up towards one of many cabins to the side, hidden away by trees.

An Iyrman opened up the door. “Yes?”

“Book, please,” Turot said.

“Did you run out?”

“I had to give mine to Adam,” Turot said, pointing to the half elf.

The Iyrman stared at Adam, nodding his head at the half elf, before grabbing a small book and handing it to Turot.

“Thank you,” Turot said, putting the book in his robes.

“Why does the Iyr give so much paper to the children?” Adam asked once Turot returned.

“So we can write and draw,” Turot replied, staring up at Adam. “What do you use paper for?”

“To write and draw, but I also use it for my spells.”

“We have some paper mills which make that kind of paper, but it’s for scrolls.” Turot narrowed his eyes, suddenly unsure if he was allowed to be mentioning things like that to Adam. He turned and then started to march off somewhere else.

Adam followed him, wordless, letting the boy set the pace.

“This is Stone of Chief,” Turot said, revealing a dark gem the size of a bull which was lodged into the mountain side.

Adam blinked at it. ‘Whoa! How much gold would that be worth? A hundred thousand? More?’ “What is it?” Adam asked, staring at it. It seemed to be a giant gem, with nothing else of note, though he wasn’t familiar with gems.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 12 (10)

He didn’t notice the bird on a branch above him.

“It is a magical tree,” Turot said. “When its fruits fall, they are offered as prizes to Iyrmen.”

“What do they do?”

“They increase one’s innate ability,” the orcish Iyrman said. “Depending on the fruit, one would grow stronger, more agile, tougher, more intelligence, a greater will, or become more likeable.”

“Oh,” Adam said, suddenly perking up, a smile on his face.

“Each Great Elder and Chief are gifted one once they are sworn,” Turot said, recalling what he had been told.

“Oh, cool,” Adam said. “Perhaps I should aim to become a Great Elder.”

Turot gave Adam the look, but he decided to humour Adam anyway. “Which Great Elder?”

“Elder Peace?” Adam said, staring down at Turot, who narrowed his eyes at him. “No, no. Perhaps I’ll aim for Elder Story?”

Turot’s face shook from side to side, and he stared at Adam as though he had just slapped the boy in the face. The orcish Iyrman beside him placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. The lizard perked up its head, staring at Adam with a curious look.

Adam’s cheeky smile quickly dropped, eyes darting between the pair of Iyrmen. “What?”

“Elder Story is not sworn in,” Turot said.

“They’re not?” Adam asked.

“No,” Turot said, blinking up at Adam. “Why would they be sworn in?”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

“Little Turot,” the orcish Iyrman said, “you should return home.”

“Okay,” Turot said, heeding the word of his elder.

Adam followed after the boy, only to be caught by the Iyrman, who placed a hand on his shoulder. “You should come with me.”

Adam tensed up when he was touched, but he relaxed, nodding his head. He wasn’t stupid enough to decline, nor did he feel confident enough.

He followed the Iyrman to one of the Elders, having Adam sit down and wait as they talked.

“You should return to the Rot family,” the Elder said, shaking her head, a small smile on her face.

“Is everything okay?” Adam asked, slowly standing up.

“Takrat does not understand that you wouldn’t know such things, and he doesn’t get your humour.”

“Oh,” Adam said, sighing in relief. “Takrat?”

“Yes?” the orcish Iyrman replied.

“Well, isn’t that a coincidence.”

“What do you mean?” Takrat asked.

“I’ve recently heard the tale of Akrat, son of Ikrat.”

“Blackwater Crisis?”

“That’s the one.”

Takrat recalled Adam was staying with the Rot family, so it was more than likely to be one of the first tales he’d hear. “That is a tale of my family, yes.”

Adam nodded his head. “Akrat was very manly. I cried a few times throughout.”

Takrat nodded his head.

“I should be going,” Adam said, awkwardly retreating as he retuned back to the Rot family.

“He recognised the runes of the Drakken Tree,” Takrat said.

“I will let Elder Forest know,” the Elder said.

“He’s suspicious.”

The Elder stared at Takrat. “Leave him be. I heard he met with the Great Elders recently. Do you think they’d let you intrude on the matter?”

Takrat grunted, frowning. A bird landed on his shoulder, and he rubbed its head gently with a finger. Then, it flew off, returning back to its cave.

When Adam returned to the Rot family, Sonarot pat the seat beside her. “I see Turot got you in trouble.”

Adam just chuckled. “Oh, no, it was me and my big mouth.”

Sonarot asked it was a phrase from his homeland. “Well, I heard you went to touch the Peace Pillar.”

“I didn’t touch it,” Adam said. “Was I meant to?”

“No,” Sonarot said. “Touching the Peace Pillar is not allowed.”

“I see...” Adam said.

Sonarot continued to stare into his eyes. He knew what she wanted him to confirm, and as the seconds passed, he began to sweat.

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Turot bullying Adam was really funny to me.

Though...

What's with all the animals checking Adam out?

Charima: 16

Oh, that's why.