View Flat HTML
View Metadata
Search Post
Tumunzahar makes Menegroth look like a contract project. Which, the Dwarves assure her, it was. The stonework is astonishingly careful and beautiful, silky to the touch up close while from a distance it gives the impression of stretching on forever above, a sky of stone with crystals for stars. Vast natural cave systems are connected by dozens of perfectly smooth, gently sloped broad stone pathways from which the fall, if she fell, would be several miles down. There are handrails. "We use those to move materials carts," someone explains to her, "we're not going to be reckless."
There's an amphitheater, a place where a hundred of the stone walkways twine around to create space for a hundred thousand people to sit in close proximity, and someone is giving a lecture or a demonstration at the base of it, the seats closest to him filled with eager, tiny, bearded Dwarf-children.
And they spiral down, and down, and down, past waterfalls and egg-sized gemstones left half in the rock and halls of crystal. Everything grows gradually more ornate and more perfectly maintained and the clang of hammers fades behind them. "People say," her guide says, "that we only have a council instead of a single King because there were nine winners of the competition to design the throne so we couldn't just select one person to sit it." And they push open the doors to reveal, indeed, nine thrones so elaborate it would be hard to choose between them, and nine squat bearded people sitting them.
+ Show First Post
Right. Ah, if we're walking from Tumunzahar for realism's sake, we can carry you while you sleep for that part.
In bird form, unless swifts can't sleep if they aren't flying.
purposeful_glory
They don't launch into the air immediately upon hatching, so I assume it's biologically possible. - I forgot to ask for my repaired armor pieces.
I'll ask someone to go bring them, they're done.
purposeful_glory
Thanks. Any other songs I should have? I won't be able to record from midflight osanwë.
You don't like mind-altering stuff, right? There's ones for euphoria we used at concerts in Valinor...
purposeful_glory
I do not like mind-altering stuff. Which is my sole objection to alcohol, incidentally.
Doesn't have many combat applications anyway.
All in that vein...visual illusions you already have, less sleep you have...less tiredness? It's not useful except if you're on your feet for hours...
Well, if I'm alive. Maybe if we rest a bit on the way you can record it, just in case.
You're Asgardian, aren't you more accustomed to this than we are?
purposeful_glory
I've seen few actual engagements against sapient forces, and tended to have heavier-duty backup available and knew more of what to expect about my opponents' and allies' effectiveness.
You'd better be prepared to get out if you need to.
purposeful_glory
Assuming I don't think flying away leaves him an opening worse than what he has, yes. Although I wouldn't relish reporting that in.
My father knows what he's asking us to risk.
And he goes back to helping the birds practice.
purposeful_glory
She drills a little more, freezes another couple rocks - then turns to Huan.
So do you talk to anyone except Tyelcormo?
So do you talk to anyone except Tyelcormo?
He can, Tyelcormo answers, but finds it super annoying. He'll probably talk to you during the fight if there's a need. Come to think of it, there's a need now, Huan, she doesn't know how you could weaponize osanwë -
And there's a feeling like electricity gathering on her skin and a voice in her head that makes her eyes water and earsplittingly commands all her attention: This is going to be very dangerous.
Yes, Tyelcormo murmurs, brimming with affection.
And there's a feeling like electricity gathering on her skin and a voice in her head that makes her eyes water and earsplittingly commands all her attention: This is going to be very dangerous.
Yes, Tyelcormo murmurs, brimming with affection.
purposeful_glory
Euagh. That's really unpleasant. ...Maybe she can freeze her eyes. She tries that, blowing cold air up against her face. It feels weird but she doesn't think she's going to have to heal herself for trying it and they stop producing tears. Is there some learnable defense against that, like with regular osanwë picking up private thoughts?
You can get accustomed to it, Tyelcormo says. It's really really hard to shut osanwë out.