Omen: 3, 4

Adam stared down at the soup for a long while, staring at the murky liquid, coloured by the herbs and meat.

“What’s wrong?” Jurot eventually asked, but only after his mother elbowed him gently in the side. He had watched Adam for the past couple of hours, noting his terrible mood, but had left him be.

“I’m feeling unlucky today,” the half elf replied. “I won’t be able to begin enchanting.” He continued to stare into his bowl. He had wanted to enchant desperately. It would help in equipping the pair of them with better gear.

Jurot stared at Adam, wondering if the connection to luck was an elvish thing. His mother elbowed him again. “What do you mean? Why do you feel unlucky?”

“Do you remember when we met Balrog?” Adam asked.

Jurot’s lips grew into a large smile. “Yes,” he said. “I do.” He recalled the feeling of cutting into the man. He wondered when his father would return so he could tell the story.

“I told you I’d make sure you could land a hit on him. Well, if I was as unlucky as today, I wouldn’t be able to guarantee that.”

Jurot nodded his head slowly. “So you will be unable to enchant because you cannot guarantee that it will go well?”

“Exactly,” Adam said, sipping the last of the soup, careful to not choke, in case his luck affected the rest of his life.

Sonarot stared at her son, reaching up to brush his hair, which caused him to bow his head slightly. ‘Oh, how my boy is growing up so fast.’ She hadn’t expected him to understand Adam’s worries, but it seemed she didn’t have to be too worried.

“Will you be unlucky in everything?” Jurot asked, wondering how it worked.

“I don’t know, but I don’t want to risk it.” Adam shrugged his shoulders.

“Why don’t you walk around with Turot today?” Sonarot asked. “Since Lanarot’s birth, he’s been receiving less attention than usual.”

“Ah,” Adam said, nodding his head. “I suppose I should. He’ll be looking after Lanarot whenever we’re gone, so I should treat him well.”

Sonarot smiled, as Adam confirmed he would be returning often to take care of Lanarot.

Once they finished their breakfast, Adam went to find Turot, who was playing with the other children of the Gak, Ool, and Kan families.

“Hey Turot,” he called.

The children instantly stopped playing and turned to stare at Adam. He was a half elf, and though he spent some time with their older siblings, they hadn’t met him properly.

Turot walked over to him. “Yes?” The boy stared up at him with his dark eyes.

“I was just wondering, would you be able to show me around the Iyr?”

Turot stared up at Adam, his eyes quickly brightening up. “Okay!” With that, Turot set off, marching out of the estate and down the road. Adam followed him, wondering where they were going.

As they made their way through the Iyr, a few other children looked at Turot, who was leading the half elf around. The Iyrmen children began to point at them, mumbling something to each other.

Turot let out the smuggest smile he could muster to the other children.

‘Oh?’ Adam thought, noting the behaviour between them. ‘Is he showing off that he knows a half elf? I really shouldn’t spoil him too much…’ He continued to think about the matter for a short while.

‘Though, wouldn’t that increase his status? No, not just his status, but the status of the Rot family? Wouldn’t the other Iyrmen be more eager to help them? Then that popularity could be used to increase Lanarot’s popularity, couldn’t it? They’d be more willing to help her…’

“Look!” Turot declared, snapping Adam out of his thoughts. The half elf’s feet had followed Turot some ways, until they arrived near the river, but at a different section than he was familiar with.

Adam looked where Turot pointed to see a number of water mills spaced some ways from one another. “Oh!” Adam said, excitedly. He hadn’t expected there to be such technology in the Iyr.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 20 (18)

“What’s that watermill for?” he said, noting the weird smell in the air. Not just that, but there was a small bird on one of them, staring right at him.

“It makes paper,” Turot said.

Adam’s ears twitched. ‘Paper?’ He recalled how Turot had casually brought him a small book to use for his recipes. “Can it be used for wizards?”

“Not this one,” Turot said. “This mill is children’s paper.”

“Children’s paper?” Adam asked. For half a moment he thought Turot meant they were making children into paper, only to realise that it was to make paper for children. “You make paper only for children?”

Turot nodded his head. “We get lots of paper.” He rushed up towards one of many cabins to the side, hidden away by trees.

An Iyrman opened up the door. “Yes?”

“Book, please,” Turot said.

“Did you run out?”

“I had to give mine to Adam,” Turot said, pointing to the half elf.

The Iyrman stared at Adam, nodding his head at the half elf, before grabbing a small book and handing it to Turot.

“Thank you,” Turot said, putting the book in his robes.

“Why does the Iyr give so much paper to the children?” Adam asked once Turot returned.

“So we can write and draw,” Turot replied, staring up at Adam. “What do you use paper for?”

“To write and draw, but I also use it for my spells.”

“We have some paper mills which make that kind of paper, but it’s for scrolls.” Turot narrowed his eyes, suddenly unsure if he was allowed to be mentioning things like that to Adam. He turned and then started to march off somewhere else.

Adam followed him, wordless, letting the boy set the pace.

“This is Stone of Chief,” Turot said, revealing a dark gem the size of a bull which was lodged into the mountain side.

Adam blinked at it. ‘Whoa! How much gold would that be worth? A hundred thousand? More?’ “What is it?” Adam asked, staring at it. It seemed to be a giant gem, with nothing else of note, though he wasn’t familiar with gems.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 12 (10)

He didn’t notice the bird on a branch above him.

“Stone of Chief,” Turot said, simply.

“Yes, but… what do you do with it?”

Turot stared at Adam for a long time. “Sometimes we look at it, but you don’t do anything with it. It’s Stone of Chief.”

“Why is it called Stone of Chief?”

“This was a stone which First Chief brought and set in the rock.”

“Oh, I see. Do you swear a new Chief beside it?” Adam tried to figure out the significance of the rock.

“No, we don’t do that here.” Turot shook his head.

“Where do you do it?”

Turot marched off, heading towards the centre of the Iyr, catching many looks from the other Iyrmen. The centre of the Iyr was a large open space, with very few buildings nearby. There were several statues, facing the eight roads, and a fountain in the centre. There were many Iyrmen relaxing nearby, drinking some tea or hot milk, snacking on food.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 5 (3)

The bird remained watching him from a nearby building.

“The new Chiefs are sworn here, but I’m too little to be there.”

“How big do you need to be?”

“Like father.”

“What about Jurot?”

“No,” Turot said, shaking his head, causing his hair to flop about. “You need to be big and you have to be at least Bronze Rank.”

“What about me? Could I be there if I was Bronze Rank?”

Turot squinted his eyes at Adam. ‘Are you stupid?’ Turot’s gaze said.

“Nevermind,” Adam said, wondering why Turot was bullying him. “Are the Great Elders sworn here too?”

“No.” Turot continued to march off, still not telling him where they were going. He led Adam out to the top of a nearby hill where there was a large open field. The grass was deep crimson, and there were at least a hundred Iyrmen all training and sparring.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 12 (10)

There was a snake in the grass, right beside his foot, but it was crimson, camouflaging against it.

“This is Blood Hill, where Elder Wrath is sworn.”

“Is there a big fight to see who becomes Elder Wrath?” Adam asked, looking at the field. The grass was all red, and he couldn’t help but wonder if it was because of blood.

Turot stared up at Adam, squinting his eyes, giving him the same look as before. “The previous Elder Wrath picks two Iyrmen, the Chief picks one Iyrman, and…” Turot tried to recall how many more could be nominated. “And some more are picked by the rest of the Iyr.”

“I see,” Adam replied. “How is Elder Wrath picked and sworn?”

“The Iyrman who wants to be Elder Wrath needs to convince the people by their deeds and their knowledge.” Turot nodded his head, glad he could recall the information. “Sometimes they fight too.”

Adam blinked. “Do you want to be an Elder Wrath?”

“No,” Turot said. “I want to be Elder Peace.”

“Elder Peace?”

“Elder Peace is the most important,” Turot said, matter of factly, turning and leading Adam away. After a few minutes, they appeared at a small area with a single pillar, made of smooth stone, jutting out from the ground.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 5 (3)

A small squirrel stared at him from the side, but he was staring at the pillar.

“Elder Peace is sworn here.” Turot looked around, noting the lack of Iyrmen, before rushing up to the pillar to rub it. Once he was done rubbing it, he stared at his hand, and returned, satisfied.

Adam stepped towards it to rub it, but thought against it, just in case it would get him in trouble. “What about Elder Gold?”

“They get sworn near the warehouses,” Turot said. He didn’t move, though, not wanting to move to the warehouses, which didn’t intrigue him one bit.

“Elder Forest?”

Turot smiled, quickly storming towards a section which Adam recognised as leading towards the enchanting shrine, but Turot scampered towards a tunnel.

There was an orcish Iyrman reading there, with a blade at his side. Upon seeing Adam approach, he raised a hand to stop the half elf. He said something in their tongue, only to realise he was speaking in a language Adam didn’t understand, before switching to Aldspeech. “What are you doing here?”

Turot looked up to Adam, raising his brows. ‘I’m leaving it to you,’ his face said.

“I was being led by young Turot to see where Elder Forest is sworn in.”

“Why?” the orcish Iyrman asked, squinting his eyes.

“I saw Stone of Chief, Blood Hill, and the pillar where Elder Peace are sworn. I was hoping to see where Elder Forest was sworn too.”

“Why?”

Adam stared at the Iyrman. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I wanted to spend some time with Turot, who is showing me around the Iyr. He’s shown me some of the watermills in the Iyr. He’s such a smart young man, as smart as he is strong.” Adam chuckled.

The Iyrman stared at Adam for a long while. “I will take you.”

Turot marched forward, with Adam behind him, and the Iyrman at the rear. They walked through various tunnels, each with small glowing stones embedded in the walls, before they approached the top of a hill with a large tree, made of from different colours of wood, red, blue, green, black, and white, and had various fruits, copper, bronze, brass, silver, gold, and diamond.

Perception Check

D20 + 2 = 6 (4)

A small lizard stared at him from the base of the tree, but he was too enamoured by the tree and its fruit.

“Here, Elder Forest is sworn,” Turot said.

Adam noted there were a large number of runes all around them, and surprisingly, they were in drakken. “What’s with the tree?”

“It is a magical tree,” Turot said. “When its fruits fall, they are offered as prizes to Iyrmen.”

“What do they do?”

“They increase one’s innate ability,” the orcish Iyrman said. “Depending on the fruit, one would grow stronger, more agile, tougher, more intelligence, a greater will, or become more likeable.”

“Oh,” Adam said, suddenly perking up, a smile on his face.

“Each Great Elder and Chief are gifted one once they are sworn,” Turot said, recalling what he had been told.

“Oh, cool,” Adam said. “Perhaps I should aim to become a Great Elder.”

Turot gave Adam the look, but he decided to humour Adam anyway. “Which Great Elder?”

“Elder Peace?” Adam said, staring down at Turot, who narrowed his eyes at him. “No, no. Perhaps I’ll aim for Elder Story?”

Turot’s face shook from side to side, and he stared at Adam as though he had just slapped the boy in the face. The orcish Iyrman beside him placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. The lizard perked up its head, staring at Adam with a curious look.

Adam’s cheeky smile quickly dropped, eyes darting between the pair of Iyrmen. “What?”

“Elder Story is not sworn in,” Turot said.

“They’re not?” Adam asked.

“No,” Turot said, blinking up at Adam. “Why would they be sworn in?”

“Why wouldn’t they be?”

“Little Turot,” the orcish Iyrman said, “you should return home.”

“Okay,” Turot said, heeding the word of his elder.

Adam followed after the boy, only to be caught by the Iyrman, who placed a hand on his shoulder. “You should come with me.”

Adam tensed up when he was touched, but he relaxed, nodding his head. He wasn’t stupid enough to decline, nor did he feel confident enough.

He followed the Iyrman to one of the Elders, having Adam sit down and wait as they talked.

“You should return to the Rot family,” the Elder said, shaking her head, a small smile on her face.

“Is everything okay?” Adam asked, slowly standing up.

“Takrat does not understand that you wouldn’t know such things, and he doesn’t get your humour.”

“Oh,” Adam said, sighing in relief. “Takrat?”

“Yes?” the orcish Iyrman replied.

“Well, isn’t that a coincidence.”

“What do you mean?” Takrat asked.

“I’ve recently heard the tale of Akrat, son of Ikrat.”

“Blackwater Crisis?”

“That’s the one.”

Takrat recalled Adam was staying with the Rot family, so it was more than likely to be one of the first tales he’d hear. “That is a tale of my family, yes.”

Adam nodded his head. “Akrat was very manly. I cried a few times throughout.”

Takrat nodded his head.

“I should be going,” Adam said, awkwardly retreating as he retuned back to the Rot family.

“He recognised the runes of the Drakken Tree,” Takrat said.

“I will let Elder Forest know,” the Elder said.

“He’s suspicious.”

The Elder stared at Takrat. “Leave him be. I heard he met with the Great Elders recently. Do you think they’d let you intrude on the matter?”

Takrat grunted, frowning. A bird landed on his shoulder, and he rubbed its head gently with a finger. Then, it flew off, returning back to its cave.

When Adam returned to the Rot family, Sonarot pat the seat beside her. “I see Turot got you in trouble.”

Adam just chuckled. “Oh, no, it was me and my big mouth.”

Sonarot asked it was a phrase from his homeland. “Well, I heard you went to touch the Peace Pillar.”

“I didn’t touch it,” Adam said. “Was I meant to?”

“No,” Sonarot said. “Touching the Peace Pillar is not allowed.”

“I see…” Adam said.

Sonarot continued to stare into his eyes. He knew what she wanted him to confirm, and as the seconds passed, he began to sweat.