Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

“Mo, let’s keep the price a secret between you and I,” Adam said, carrying a small basket of scarves, which had been packaged within various bundles of cheaper cloth to protect them from the world.

“Okay,” Dunes replied, deciding against poking fun at the half elf, who had certainly felt good spending so many hundreds of gold, but probably did not wish to face the fact that buying one of every colour included the colours which had been reserved for the finer scarves, and while cheap scarves could go for a few copper pieces, the more expensive scarves could go for many silvers, even gold.

‘Just how wealthy are you?’ Uli wondered, though he recalled they traded magical weapons.

“These cheaper scarves are best,” Dunes said, motioning to the scarf around his waist, using it as a belt. “Those of silver are good to wear so.”

Adam wondered what the style was, for he hadn’t seen any wear the scarf tucked under the collar, sprawled over a shoulder. “Are you messing with me?”

“No, it is an older style, which we of the Order like to wear,” Dunes admitted, understanding the half elf’s suspicion. “Let us dress in the way of my home?”

“Oh! Sure!” Adam smiled excitedly, following Dunes to a small bathhouse, paying the silver to wash quickly as the man brought them clothing from the bathhouse, simple Aswadian clothing, those which were rather light and loose, as compared to those of the Aldish designs, which were a little tighter and held much less cloth.

“How does it feel?” Dunes asked, seeing how refreshed Adam looked after his bath.

“I don’t know,” Adam admitted, feeling the slight itch of the clothing even after he had cleaned them with his magic. “It feels so light. Loose. Everything is so billowy, and lets the wind in easy. The clothing goes everywhere…”

“I have brought you pajamas, and there is some underwear that will be ready for us tonight,” Dunes said, flashing a wide smile.

“Oh?” Adam raised his brow, seeing Dunes’ smile, which was of excitement. ‘I’ve made too many jokes about that sort of thing so I’ll show you mercy.’

Dunes read Adam’s eyes, quickly realising the joke the half elf had refused to make, and the Priest smiled slightly, nodding his head slowly. ‘You are growing up, Adam.’

The pair continued to explore the noisy festival, Uli allowing them to move freely, though he had begun to notice a handful of plain clothes guards, as well as guards of other forces within the city, each paying attention to the Mo of Black Mountain, the Kal of Black Lion, and of course, the fool of a father.

“How many dragonchess sets do you think we need?” Adam asked.

“We should buy at least ten, but more is better,” Dunes admitted, noting the wooden sets, as well as those made of glass, stone, and so many other materials. He had thought to ask if they should buy some more premium sets, but the half elf had already spent so much gold.

“I’d like at least one set of each of these too,” Adam said, motioning a finger to those made of glass, silver, and various other types of wood.

“One set of each, Mo?” the merchant asked.

“Yes, please,” Adam said, eyeing up the fifteen different boards. “How much would that be?”

“Mo, it is expensive,” the merchant said, bringing out the small tokens, flipping them over to assist their numbers. “Six hundred gold.”

“Oh!” Adam blinked. “Oh, is that including the silver set as well?”

“Yes.”

“Oh, perfect,” Adam said, reaching up to his heart. “That one is for my daughter who enjoys shiny things, but, by any chance, do you have one made of dragonglass?”

“Dragonglass?” The merchant rubbed her cheek with a thumb in thought. “There is Master Shay, who works with dragonglass, and usually he has one set on offer, but it is worth many hundreds too.”

“If I’m spending hundreds of gold on one daughter, shouldn’t I spend hundreds of gold on another?” Adam asked. “Also, if I’m spending hundreds of gold on my daughters, shouldn’t I spend hundreds on my sons? If I’m spending hundreds on my children, shouldn’t I spend hundreds on my wife? If-,”

“Adam, please,” Dunes said, letting out a soft sigh.

“It makes sense, though, doesn’t it?” Adam asked, huffing lightly.

“Yes!” Dunes reached up to rub his eyes. “It does, Adam, it does.”

“That’s Brother Adam, isn’t it?” Adam’s eyes twinkled with mischief, the half elf bursting into laughter as Dunes sighed.

Adam carried the sets of dragonchess upon his back, though since there were so many, and they bought additional pieces, even for those which were more expensive, they were heavy. It was a good thing Adam had reached the peak of his natural strength, otherwise he would have struggled to carry all these gifts.

‘I should train more so I can carry more gifts for my adorable little children,’ the half elf thought as they approached the estate which formed the house and workshop of Master Shay.

Dunes rang the bell, the various lights within glowing as he did. The estate was like any other, a cube made up of four gahduns, though the buildings only reached one story tall. It was fairly simple in design too, though that was expected for some Master Crafters within the capital, as they preferred such simple buildings. The Priest had also noted the guard presence nearby was greater, which confirmed this area was home to many great figures within the capital.

‘However, if he is a Master Crafter, why is he so far away from the Royal Districts?’

“You think he’s out?” Adam asked, only for the door to open, to reveal a heavily armoured figured which glared out at the trio. She wore full plate, with intricate details, though Adam couldn’t see much as the door was only cracked open slightly.

“Good morning, I am Mo Dunes of Black Mountain, and this is my companion, Mo Adam of the United Kindom, a business near the Iyr.”

“What business do you have with Master Shay?” the figure asked, opening the door much more, seeing they were two Mos, one of Black Mountain, and then the nearby Black Lion, she couldn’t keep the door closed on them.

“I wish to buy a dragonglass dragonchess set,” Adam said.

“Please, come in,” the guard said, allowing them to step within to the large waiting area, fairly bare, a single desk keeping them company, leading to the only other door. However, as they stepped within, Adam heard something open and close towards the other door, only for a small head to rise up as the gnome climbed onto a stool behind the front desk, Adam assumed.

The gnome glared at the trio, but seeing as they were two Priests and a Black Lion, he decided to let out a sigh of frustration. He was short, as once might have expected, reaching past Adam’s knee, while halfzers would have reached his waist. His thick hair was dark, his eyes dark, his expression dark, though feigning light. He wore the billowy and loose Aswadian clothing and a scarf over his shoulders, each white, though with varying designs.

“How may I assist?” the gnome asked, barely feigning respect for the pair.

“I have come to buy a dragonglass dragonchess set,” Adam said.

“Five hundred gold,” the gnome said.

Adam reached into his cloak, summoning the gems from his ring, before he placed the five ambers onto the counter. The gnome stared at them, and after a moment of checking them, he pocketed them.

“One moment,” the gnome said, slipping to the back through an unseen door, presumably an illusion, and after half a minute, the unseen door opened and the box floated up onto the table, followed by the gnome. “Is there anything else?”

“No, thank you,” Adam said, picking up the box, which was made of a deep red wood, and he twisted the latch, noting the way all the tiny metals whirred and switched, around the trim, before it clicked, at least a dozen times in a moment, and he opened the set to see the dragonglass pieces already set upon the beautifully carved board, centred perfectly, and even as Adam tilted the box slightly, they did not move. “Is that dragonglass?”

“Yes,” Dunes said, reaching up to hide his face.

“Are you doubting my work?” the gnome asked, narrowing his eyes.

“No, I just, I just haven’t seen dragonglass before, and so…” Adam noted the glass broke the light in a thousand different ways, sparkling like diamond. “Whoa. I think, maybe, Konarot should have the silver set, and Jirot should have this piece.”

“They are both suited for one another,” Dunes admitted.

“Master gnome, this is all your work? The box, the glass, and so on?” Adam asked.

“Yes.”

“Wow…” Adam whispered, raising his brows in surprise. “Good to know. Oh, I know a tinkerer, actually, and though his work, no offence to him, isn’t as good, I’m sure he’d love to study something you’ve made. Do you by any chance have any watches for sale?”

“I have a few,” Shay replied.

“I’d like to buy your best watch that you’ve worked on.”

“I can sell you the second best, since I like my best,” the gnome replied.

“Absolutely, how much?”

“Two thousand gold?”

“I’ll have my brother send it later tonight and to retrieve it then,” Adam said, placing down a gem worth fifty. “A small payment for the trouble, he’ll bring the two thousand gold with him.”

“What is his name and what does he look like?” Master Shay asked, reaching down to write something.

“His name is Jurot, he’s almost as tall as me, a little more handsome, dark hair, dark eyes, powerfully built, carries an axe at his side, and he has tattoos on his forehead, a blue circle in the centre, with three diamonds on either end.”

Master Shay stopped writing, narrowing his eyes slightly, his eyes slowly trailing up towards the half elf. “Is your brother an Iyrman?”

“Yeah,” Adam replied, before raising a hand. “I’m not, he is.”

The guard stared at him through her visor, before she tilted her head slightly towards the Black Lion, who nodded his head.

“How did you become a brother to an Iyrman,” Master Shay said.

“We share a sister, who is also an Iyrman,” Adam explained. “His family basically adopted me, and now I work hard to make sure they don’t regret it.”

Master Shay stared at the half elf. “Did you say his name was Jurot?”

“Yes.”

“Is he related to someone by the name of Jarot?”

“Yeah, Giaroh, right? He helped the devilkin a few millenia ago from the dragons. That’s his ancestor.”

“I speak of Jarot, the Mad Dog.”

“Oh!” Adam said, smiling wide with a boyish pride. “That’s my grandfather!”

The dice really favour Adam.