"Heh, I meant their use of you. Of course even the gods love treats."
He inhaled deeply, beginning his deep analysis with her scent. He had every intention of recognizing her when next they met.
"I look forward to our next meeting," he said when he had finished. "I'm sure it shall prove both enjoyable and productive for both of us."
There are several distinctive elements to the girl's odor. She should be easy to pick out on scent alone unless she chooses to get heavy handed with a different perfume next time. Her digestive system smells more like Ketari's than it does any mortal you have recently met; You guess her diet consists almost entirely of wild game birds. She smells strongly of coal and ash, so you suspect that she lives under the same roof as a forge or other furnace. Your nose also detects some sort of abnormal growth in her liver, which although makes her very distinct to a close smell test, could prove very problematic to her health if it is cancerous.
After giving you the time you need to examine her, the caster gives your shoulder an affectionate squeeze and then exits the festival with something between a truly mighty leap and true flight.
2 Miracles: Tulwor builds the Crucible in the empty spaces of Newbellum Castle. The Crucible is a great training hall, built to test those braving it in every way - though not outright trying to kill them. It also allows them to improve themselves physically and by learning much faster than normal.
Those trying it are not allowed out before they have been 'reforged' - become strong and able. Tulwor judges this to be when they are brave enough to stand up to him and claim they are done - and defeat a great foe of his choosing.
Sarah gets the privilege of being the first contender.
The walls of the castle melt and warp at your touch, and a fierce combination of hazards, constructs, and other tests are built in a matter of hours by your skilled hand. You leave space to store any monsters or beasts you might capture on the island, so that they may be used as part of the test. After a brief test to make sure all the parts are working correctly, you lead Sarah inside, and bid her to begin training...
+Castle Improvement: The Crucible Sarah has been moved from Open Storage to the Crucible!"Let your children marry into either the Houses of Wildefair, Nightcharm, Riptide, and – if you don't fear their jinx - House Infelix. That would be the answer that I give you. " He looked at the man, intent on gauging his reactions.
The elder Messel nods in brief contemplation, before going over the letters on the table in front of them and throwing more than half into his cooking fire.
"If that is your advice, then I am left with these options..."He slides the remaining letters across the table to you.
"If it pleases you lord, look them over. My trust in this matter is in you completely. While you are at it, feel free to advise me on what portion of the Bride Price I will draw should be tithed to yourself or your pantheon in general. I owe you for both my son's return and my increase in status, and I am not the sort to be ingrateful."Betrothal Offers:Offers for the Hand of Tanga, Younger Daughter of Messel:
-Olav Wildefair wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer 4 Wagonloads of High Quality Furs and a small orchard in the jungles north of Kiatown to his father as a Bride Price.
-Vance Infelix wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer a half tonne of Gold Bars and the Legendary Bow of Boasts to his father as a Bride Price.
-Lichen Nightcharm wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer a Shipload of rum and 'a book of supernatural interest' to his father as a Bride Price.
-Tidus Riptide wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer a tamed seatroll to his father as a Bride Price. He is also willing, as part of the deal, to call in a favor of Selma the Pirate Queen, and see that Messel be given the title of nobility and a family, but it is worth noting the the gods also have the authority to grant such things.
Offers for the Hand of Thrift, Younger Daughter of Messel:
-Durg Wildefair wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer 33% Owning Interest in the Kiatown Shipyard, as well as a well furnished luxuary apartment near said business, to his father as a Bride Price.
-Shane Infelix wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and in lieu of a Bride Price, he is willing for the same to be waived should the Herald's widowed father wish to marry one of his nieces.
-Blaine Nightcharm wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer a grand manor house in the city and an enchanted amulet containing one of the eye's of Thorax the Spider Dragoness as a Bride Price.
-Sheppard Riptide wishes to wed the sister of the herald, and is willing to offer a fleet of 6 unarmed Transport Galleons and 2 Warships as a Bride Price
Betrothal Offers made to the herald Messel, Son of Messel:
As the Elder Messel is of common blood, and unable to pay the Bride Price for a highborn, the Younger Messel has been invited to instead join the family of his wife or bethroved, and take their name.
-Messel has been offered the eventual hand of Helga Wildefair, the four year old daughter of his fellow herald Hialarth. Messel would be invited to live under Hialarth's roof as her son, and hold some position of importance in the House Guard of Infelix or Wildefair, or the partisan forces of Mercede, until Helga is old enough to wed.
-Messel has been offered the hand of Chance Infelix, a well groomed noblewoman around his own age. Chance is already famed for her exceptional courtly grace, and shrewd political maneuvering. The couple would live in a manor befitting a pair of their station for the time being, but would be expected to move to and hold important positions on the Dry Side Frontier should the orcish seige be broken.
-Messel has been offered the hand of Melissa Nightcharm, a woman eight years his elder who has just returned to her father after spending several years studying at the dreaded court of Agrippa. As Melissa is the only child of the ranking Nightcharm bloodline on the Island, the couple and their children would be heirs to the Kiatown branch of the family, and would have a fair chance of becoming royalty should the Mercedeian Cause Prevail.
-Messel has been offered the hand of Darleen Riptide, who is currently second in command of Vii the Seafox's Pirate Fleet. Darleen's father notes that as his daughter is older than Messel, constantly away from home, and unlikely to settle for a single mate, Messel would be permitted to pursue his own interests and his own women while taking the Riptide name and living on the Riptide estate, so long as he is willing to claim fatherhood of and help raise any child that Darleen might produce.
The dragon waited for everyone to say his piece, before addressing them accordingly to their current rank...
Kell remains quiet and thoughtful as you address her, but speaks up when you mention a temple to Scion.
"What do you have in mind for a temple?" She asks,
"I will gladly cover the land, and make a solid contribution towards the construction cost just to show that there is no ill will between us. If what you have in mind isn't too extravagant, I might even pay for the whole thing. It may be poor form for me to worship you openly, but I do like your plan for the town."A smile cracks the face of the old pirate as you ask his help.
"As a man who keeps 'is coinpurse close to his heart, I would have to demand that you make guard duty worth my while, and as a man currently in the presense of a god, I will 'ave to humbly plead that ya don't do so by sayin' 'do it or else.'"He grips the arm of his chair tightly, and continues.
"I was planning on setting sail next month, joining forces with Jeter and Deltrox, an' sacking the city of Volcano. I hear tell that King Duncan Skullcrest, and most of his men, have set out ta beat off some Barbarians. At my age, I fear I may not get another chance to make a direct attack on a Bellian Citystate, so I regret to inform yer glory that my price for forsaking my brethren Dread Pirates, and passing up this opportunity, will be high."Rook, when addressed, looks you dead in the eye.
"Just tell me how that may be done. I have long since served the purpose that I was created for, and earning the favor of a new god for Gargoylekind would be a feat unrivaled in significance by anything else that I may do in my life. If the rumors of your people's great hunger for treasure are true, might your affection be for sale? Or do you have a specific test in mind for me?"