Vulcanus absently pats Carmen's hand, where it rests on his arm. "Brute, I am Vulcanus of Flambeau, Knight of Seneca and Artifex of Andorra. I am honoured to have made your acquaintance, and I thank you for your timely intervention. Please call upon me if you ever require aid." He will then pick up Carmen and lift her up onto Egon's back, before mounting behind her (heh heh, heh) for the ride home.
Carmen hops on up. Then starts thinking, and mentions quietly to Vulcanus What about the supposed dragon living in the salt mine?
Vulcanus smiles wryly. "We'll have to get back to the covenant and find some clothes for Vibria, first. I can't be seen slaying a dragon while wearing only a loincloth," he says with a grin. "Unless, of course, you like that sort of thing..."
Good point. Hmmmmm...
See if one of the villagers can get her some clothes. Then I am looking for two volunteers to come with me and explore the salt mine.
Carmen looks at the brute, tired and sore.
Brute, my new friend, seek rest and may God bless you. When I was a small child, my father told me tales of you and how you watched out for little girls and protected them from monsters. Well, we now go to face a monster now, a terrible dragon that terrifies the villagers. Keep us in your prayers and watch over us from the mists beyond, for now we are off to fight to liberate the oppressed.
The brute looks at carmen, seeming perplexed.
Brute don't like monsters. Brute likes little girls. LIttle girls are nice. When monsters hurt little girls, Brute smash monsters.
He stops to think a moment.
Pretty lady is nice. Pretty lady is brave. Brute likes pretty lady. If bad monster hurt pretty lady, Brute will smash bad monster.
With that, a snowy whirlwind appears around him, sending things flying and obscuring the view, before flying away.
Vulcanus nods. "Of course I will go, once I am armored once more." He turns to Vibria. "When we are back at the covenant, your new armor will be the first order of business."
Excellent. Now we need a third team member, and we are good to go.
[color=red]"I would be honored to wear armor that you crafted, sodalis. I know that it would be of unparalleled quality." Vibria sounds almost shy as she speaks.
[color=red]"I would go," Vibria says sadly, [color=red]"but if I do, either Vulcanus would be unarmored and I would be wearing armor that is...ill-fitting, or he would be armored and I would not. I think it would be best if I accompanied the almogavars back to Andorra."
Maurice steps forth to speak.
Wait, this has gone too far. Allow me to parley with Salakk. That's his name, the salt-wyrm of Las Salines who lives in the mines. The draconian custom. We are free to plunder it, but we cannot help you do it nor can we allow you to help us. And before plundering, it is traditional to deliver an ultimatum first.
"A kind offer, friend Maurice, but if relations turn sour between us and Salakk, as it seems perhaps may be the case, I would not wish it to impact your reputation, or your clan's."
heh-heh-heh. Dragonic culture is more, um, complex than that. But I understand your meaning. And intentions. Allow me to arm you with some advice. The only thing that outweighs Salakk's avarice is his laziness.
[color=red]"Some time, cousin," Vibria says, [color=red]"I would like to learn about Dragonic culture."
Well, someday I would like to learn to shapeshift and pretend I am a "scholar" (magus), just like grandfather used to (and sometimes still does). Perhaps we can help each other out in that regard...
Vulcanus glances from Vibria back to Carmen. "Looks like it's just the two of us, then, my lady," he muses, and offers his arm.
[color=red]"Would you like your armour back?" Vibria asks. She casts a spontaneous Creo Herbam to make a heavy robe ((Base 3, +1 Touch, +2 Sun = level 10, vs. a CT of Sta 2 + Cr 10 + He 0 + Aura 3 + die roll of 5 = 20, halved is 10. Spot on.)) The robe drapes over an invisible arm while Vibria undoes and removes the armour, handing the pieces to Vulcanus (unless he wants to use his Phantasmal Squire to remove it from her), after which Vibria slips the robe on over her head. She is still invisible, but the loose-fitting robe is not.
Oh, I'd thought this was all after we'd been back to the village and gotten some clothes for her.
Yes, he'd have his armor back before going to face a dragon. obvsly
((I was thinking it was just after the battle. shrug
And you never know, some magi would be all like "Here, hold my beer and watch this!" against a dragon.))
Venkath and Maurice are staring each other down. Venkath is obviously not happy about something, either the way things went down or/and what is about to go down. No growling, no grunts, just a silent expression of dominance by Venkath.
Simon is off in a field chasing butterflies. tra-la-la...
And he eats them when he catches them.
Carmen is set and ready to go. Ad Mortem Incurrite!
OOC: At some point here, based on Mark's post elsewhere, I figure Guillaume rejoins the other magi. (He will have returned Astrid to the covenant.)
"I missed out on what was likely to be the greatest combat on this mission. I guess next time I should avoid the towns," he rasps with a sound of frustration mixed with gurgling.
Vulcanus reaches down from Egon's back and sweeps Carmen up, placing her side-saddle in his lap. He then salutes Guillaume. "I'll try to leave some dragon for you," he grins.