Beyond Chaos – A DiceRPG

“I really thought he’d see the bigger picture,” Adam grumbled, huffing noisily as they marched through the city back towards the outpost, the annoyance still simmering upon his face.

“There is no need to speak of it at this time,” Jurot said, for the first time half admonishing the half elf, though it was almost entirely due to the fact that the soldier was still within earshot.

“Yeah, well…” Adam let out a sigh, the stench of the city soon overwhelming him, until he was used to it once more.

The group made their way through the city, the people in front parting way since they wore weapons around their waists, and speeding further upon seeing the tattoos upon their foreheads. However, Jurot stopped, and not because the spicy scents of meats enticed him, but as his eyes drew towards such meats, he noted the tall spear a darker skinned guard carried, as well as the scarf that which he wore around his helmet.

“We must buy spears and scarves,” Jurot said, realising it was best to buy a handful from the city while they were here.

“How many?”

“Ten of each.”

“Will we procure more in Aswadasad?” Tanagek asked.

“Yes,” Jurot replied, the pair nodding to one another, apparently with a mutual understanding.

“Just normal steel?” the half elf asked, already feeling how light his pouch had become.

“Yes.”

“Alright.” The half elf thought little of it since spears were cheap as chips, that was to say, more expensive than chips, but among the cheapest weapons. Even ten spears would barely dent their budget, considering how much they had spent so far. Adam pulled out his journal, writing down a note as the thought came to him. ‘Oh? Can’t I…’

As Adam spent gold upon the spears, John was currently in the middle his training, as well as being gawked by several Iyrmen.

Laygak eyed up the young man, a junior of his by a handful of years, and yet his body was as though it had been sculpted by the hands of the Chief. The young man’s skin was weatherworn, coarse and rough, beaten to him by a life of struggle and trying to overcome such a struggle, but it was beyond that. His natural talent was such that, if he had been born within an Order, they surely would have raised him into the next Grand Commander, if they were wise, so he would have probably been a Vice Commander.

“Jurot is right,” Faool said, eyeing up the man as he continued to thrust his spear, counting to ten with each arm, completing at least five rounds, which he would repeat towards the end of his workout. “He could make a fine Rage Dancer, a fine Fighter, but…”

“He would soar as an Oathsworn,” Laygak said, letting out an envious sigh, for if he had been born into the Gak family, there would have been no choice but for them to soar in this generation, even without Adam. His eyes glanced aside towards Nobby, who had been claimed by Jurot, then his eyes returned back to John. ‘Since Jaygak is not here…’

Although Laygak decided against coveting the man, since he was now one of Adam’s, he still wondered if he could marry the man into his family somehow. ‘If only he had horns, then Jaygak would have married him.’

Laygak thought about the rest of his cousins, first his eyes fell upon Tagak, but that wouldn’t work, for Tagak preferred women. His eyes fell to Taygak, for in a few years, she would be of age, but he thought of Adam, who certainly would protest, and then again, the children would have been too near her age.

“What are you thinking so deeply of?” Faool asked.

“If he marries into our family, then I would hold no doubts.”

“Do you still hold doubt, even now?”

The tone in Faool’s voice caused Laygak to frown, though the Iyrman eventually let out a small sigh of defeat. Faool was right, Laygak should not doubt, not when they had received such a fine privilege this generation.

John finished his workout, hearing the various whispers between the Iyrmen, and even the soldiers who had noted what a fine body he held. He felt like a sheep within a den of wolves, and if it had not been Adam’s ridiculous statement, perhaps others would have stolen him away.

‘An Oathsworn? Yeah, sure.’

‘I should marry him,’ Nirot thought, her eyes glued to the man. ‘It would be best if it was me.’

“Are you coveting him already?” Naqokan joked.

“It would be best, so they could grow as cousins to Konarot, who would watch over them well.”

Naqokan smirked slightly, only to pause, for the words of the Iyrman, spoken so bluntly and so lightly, were heavy with reason. Naqokan furrowed her brows towards the Iyrman, who glared at John, noting just how fine his body was, for they had allowed Nobby to slip through their fingers, but John? Naqokan wondered if she should instead aim for John too, but her heart still ached from Adam’s refusal.

‘The triplets could marry into the various families,’ Nirot thought. ‘If they marry into the Gak family, then a second generation of Gaks would keep the tales aflame. A single generation’s work can be outdone, but if they work hard in the upcoming decades, the Gak family will be known from Drakkenlan to the Confederacy.’

While the Iyrmen plotted to steal John, the young man quickly retreated to bathe and once he was done, bathing with almost Iyrman efficiency, he returned to find the half elf and the others had returned.

“Hoo!” Adam let out a huff, reminded of what had happened earlier that day. “My heart aches too much to talk about it! This treachery, can it even be healed?”

‘What does that mean?’

“If only I could spoil my adorable triplets, and the rest of my children, but if I can’t spoil them to soothe my heart, I wonder, what could I do.”

“Adam,” Kitool said, placing a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it. “Jaygak is not here, so I must deal with you.”

“Alright, my bad,” Adam said, standing up straighter. “John, let’s head back to your place, and we can all eat out again.”

“It would be best not to return,” John said.

“Why?”

“There may be those who notice the attention you are giving us, and they might snoop around to see why, and if they find out you handed so much silver, they may bring harm to the family.”

“Silver? How mu-,”

“Adam,” Jurot warned, his voice stern, stopping the half elf in his tracks. The Iyrman’s eyes did not give up why he had stopped Adam, but the Iyrman noted all the soldiers around, listening to their conversation.

“Alright, alright…” Adam scratched his cheek lightly. “I guess, I probably should think about that. What if we hired some guards?”

“It would be difficult since we are leaving tomorrow,” Jurot said.

“We’re leaving tomorrow?” Adam asked, only to recall he had heard the Iyrman mention it when they bought their spears. “Ah, right, well…”

“We may put in a request to the Guild,” Jurot said.

“If there are Iyrmen and they are not busy, you could ask them,” Chosen mentioned. “You may repay the favour in the future, as members of the Rot family.”

Jurot nodded, understanding that was the best course of action, and considering the Reavers were about, and it was one of the largest coastal city, if not the largest coastal city for a thousand miles around, there should be a handful of Iyrmen around.

“Alright. Let’s head to the Guild and deal with it, then?”

“I will deal with it,” Jurot said, nodding his head to Nirot, who had given the Iyrman a message with her eyes, hoping they could talk. The pair left the group be, making their way through the city, and once they were confident they weren’t being followed, they spoke quietly between one another.

“It would be best for me to marry him,” Nirot whispered.

“It is a good idea, but-,” Jurot began, only to realise midway through it was beyond a good idea, before continuing, “he is still hurt by the loss of his wife.”

“It has been two years.”

“He knew her for so long, and two years is not a long time for such heartache,” Jurot said. “Grandfather still drinks for Farot.”

Nirot bowed her head, since she did not recall her uncle, who had died when she was so young, and yet she had heard the tales of her grandfather’s love for the boy, who caused him so much trouble. She had heard he was like Jaygak, and considering he married Chaygak, the one who was closest to Jaygak, it was no wonder Jaygak adored the two so much.

Of course, it made sense as to why the old man was so close with that particular menace.

The young Iyrman frowned. It would have been best for her to marry the young man, if not a Gak, but the hearts of Aldish, and those who were now called Florians, were so.

“Nirot.”

“Yes?”

“As we travel, Adam will confuse his heart. I will leave the rest to you.”

“Okay.”

The rolls for the Gak family have been shockingly awful. I have rolled so many times for their success and it’s been terrible, time and time again. 

John can’t spend any time being heartbroken if he’s always confused.