Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

“The Mad Dog is so lucky to have such wonderful greatchildren,” Vibak, the Sun Dragon, said.

“She is so cheeky,” Bibak, the Moon Dragon, replied.

The older Iyrmen each paced around the fort, remaining near the buildings with the twins and triplets, in the inner most section of the fort. The sky above them, painted by streaks of stars, accompanied them on their watch, the gentle breeze casting a gentle chill upon the people.

“We should claim them for ourselves,” Vibak said. “Jibak and Jabak. They are good names. They would hold the name of…”

“Jibak the Wise,” Bibak replied, not impressed by the title, but by the accomplishments of Jibak. “Black Claw Jabak?”

“Gold Claw?” Vibak mused.

“Gold Claw,” Bibak confirmed, realising she had confused Jabak for another.

The pair remained silent for a long while, in thought of the future children who would adore them so tenderly.

‘I know you!’ Jirot had declared so proudly, before going to speak of their stories. ‘Babo read your story to me!’

The Mad Dog glanced aside, pretending to ignore them, meanwhile his twin greatchildren each fussed over the old women, making sure they were okay.

“Thank Baktu, for though he takes, he gives,” Bibak whispered.

Vibak froze in place, her eyes darting to the side, towards her twin sister. Then she thought of the Mad Dog, and the reason why he lost his arm, as well as the reason Otkan had lost hers. It wasn’t spoken of, but there were rumours. To think the Mad Dog had almost decided to give himself to Baktu. ‘You must be glad you did not.’

Early in the morning, Adam awoke, the half elf glancing down towards his triplets, who continued to snooze. After an hour, his children finally stirred, allowing him to help them bathe and change. They returned to find the rest of the businessfolk already eating their meals and readying for work.

“Ehem,” Adam called out, trying to gather their attention. “I hope you all slept well.”

Not even Adam’s playful smile, awkwardly wrought upon his lips, could ease the hearts of the businessfolk, who wished for nothing more than to work their fields, so as to not think of what happened the day before.

“I understand that many of you held positive associations with the Order, and if there was a way we could have resolved it without death, I would have preferred that. I can’t blame the Grand Commander for what he felt was justice, I mean, I went for mine last year, but I couldn’t just… you know?” Adam glanced between everyone’s eyes. “I hope this hasn’t broken your faith in us. Also, the Iyr said they will take full responsibility, so… it should be fine.”

Seeing as that he was inspiring no hope, Adam just smiled and waved, before settling himself beside his triplets. ‘Damn it…’

Taygak’s eyes remained focused on the half elf. She had praised Adam for his hard work the day before, but there was something about the situation that caused her mind to inflame with curiosity. What was it? There was something which she was missing. Something obvious. She recalled the words of the half elf, about the important of playing with the children. What did it have to do with being so strong?

As Adam mixed his porridge together, his eyes darted to the side, to find his twins cackling their way towards their father. Adam smiled, placing his porridge down, before he lifted his twins up, kissing their cheeks.

“Daddy!” the pair cried aloud.

“What’s this?” Adam asked, wrapping an arm around them. “Why are you up so early?”

“We woke up!”

“Yes, I see that!”

“They slept better,” the older Jarot stated, dropping down nearby, letting out a low grunt.

Adam glanced around, noting the good mood within the older Iyrmen that morning. He looked down to Jirot and Jarot, who snuggled up to his chest. ‘Maybe today…’

Persuasion Check (Charisma)(Advantage)

D20 + 8 = 14 (6)

D20 + 8 = 19 (11)

19!

Adam tried to feed his son his porridge, and after three bites, the boy pulled away to drink at his milk. However, three spoonfuls of porridge was more than typical for the boy. Adam leaned down to plant a kiss on little Jarot’s head.

“You are eating so well recently!” Adam nuzzled against the boy’s neck.

“Yes! My papa always eats so well!” Jirot stated, reaching out to rub her brother’s forehead.

“Let’s go bathe together after breakfast, okay?” Adam said, as though he hadn’t already bathed that morning.

Rick let out a small sigh, his shoulders heavy with the burden that was the near insanity Adam imposed upon him. ‘How can he act as though it’s all normal?’

Once the half elf completed his bath, he went to check on the Great Elders, though found they had disappeared in the night.

‘Oh. Right.’

The businessfolk gathered up that morning, including the Leads, Fred and Rick both sitting beside one another as the Managers and Executives discussed their matters.

“Where’s Jaygak?” Adam asked.

“She has returned to the Iyr to complete her duties,” Kitool informed.

“Alright…” Adam was fairly certain there was more to it, but he knew better than to ask. “We probably still have some time before we head out to Aswadasad. I was thinking, you all know what you need to do, but I’m feeling a little lost here, admittedly. I feel like I’ve forgotten something.”

“You should continue forging weapons,” Jurot said, careful with his words, before switching to the Iyr’s tongue. “We still possess the gem.”

“The gem?” Adam replied in the Iyr’s tongue.

“That which grows with magic,” Jurot replied, fairly certain he had reminded Adam the previous year.

“Oh! That gem! I feel like this isn’t the first time you reminded me about it.”

“It is not.”

Adam flushed slightly. “Sorry.”

“There is no need to apologise.” Jurot frowned.

‘I guess I had a pretty good excuse last year…’ Adam’s eyes flickered to the side slightly as he checked something. ‘Ah. I need…’

XP: 28 000 -> 27 000

Proficiency Gained: Jewellery

“If there’s anything else you guy need, let me know,” Adam informed, switching back to the Aldish tongue, rubbing the side of his neck. “Money, magical items, so on. I’ll pass word along to the Enchanter for that sort of thing. Fred, do you have a nice magical weapon?”

“I do,” Fred replied, though calling his weapon a nice magical weapon was an understatement.

“Rick, do you?”

“It is Basic.”

“If it’s Basic then…” Adam furrowed his brows. “You only have a Basic Sword?”

“Yes.”

“Not one of the Fireblades?”

“No.”

“Really?” Adam threw Jurot a look, doing the calculations within his mind. ‘That doesn’t sound right.’ “You should at least have a Fireblade. Sorry, Lead Rick. I thought I had lent you the Fireblade for the next few years. Yourself, Jeremy, and Remy.”

“You have gifted us a Basic sword and full plate, and lent us Greater shields,” Rick informed.

“That doesn’t sound right. When did the business become so cheap. At the very least, you should have a Fireblade. I mean, all three of you are Experts, and it’s not like we didn’t…” Adam paused, glancing around, before realising they were all those he trusted. “I mean, you know, after how many of my secrets you know, a Fireblade isn’t out of the ordinary.”

“We appreciate your thoughts, Executive.”

“I bet you appreciate the magical weapons more,” Adam replied, a coy smile upon his lips, the half elf flashing a wink. “I’ll see what I can do. I’ll send word back to Manager Vonda, to have her let the Enchanter know.”

Rick waited for Adam to mention that too, but the half elf did not speak of it, and the Lead decided against bringing it up.

Surely Adam had thought of the consequences of killing the Grand Commander.

“Adam,” Jurot called in the Iyr’s tongue, as the half elf made his way to Jaygak’s house within the fort.

“Yeah?”

“May I tell Tanagek?”

“Tell him what?”

“Everything.”

“If you trust him, go ahead.”

“Okay.”

‘I guess I should forge a few weapons…’ Adam thought, rolling his shoulders, before heading through Jaygak’s home into the basement, spilling his blood onto the mirror to access the Iyr’s enchanting shrine so many miles away.

‘Oh. I forgot about the undead too…’ Adam thought an hour later, eyeing up the weapons he forged through magic, none which were staves. ‘Oops.’

Adam appeared slightly later than usual, having finished the first day of enchanting, the half elf almost out of Mana. Dinner was served later in the day, and the half elf winced.

‘I forgot to cast Sending to Vonda!’

“Poj?” Virot asked up towards her grandmother.

“Yes.”

“No!”

“Even if you are your sister’s sister, you must eat the porridge,” Sonarot stated firmly, bringing the spoon up to the girl’s lips.

“No!” Virot began to cry and complain, but quickly quietened down as Sonarot fed her the spoonfuls of porridge, eventually letting the girl feed herself.

“My niece eats so well,” Lanarot said, smiling proudly. “Virot, you want bread?”

“Bed?” Virot asked, her leaf shaped ears perking up.

The days began to pass by, with Adam eventually remembering to send word to Vonda. He remembered by reading it within his book the next morning.

‘Ah,’ Adam thought after finishing enchanting the four Basic weapons. ‘I should probably get to work on the new weapons. What should I make this time? If I make something nice for Tanagek too, they won’t be too mad… right?’

I think this next arc is slow but not quite as repetitive as I originally thought.