Arulas looks at the priestess and at Kalista. Then sighs again and says "Listen your people may hate mine, but Vampires could care less. We believe you either know or saw something that will help us in our quest to find and put to final rest a very nasty one indeed." he pauses trying to remember the name "Ah yes Severance the Orc. He was a gunfighter of some skill I am told prior to his transformation. He is at least a secondary type meaning he is more skilled and less feral. I tend to think he is actually a Master type, but that remains to be seen." all that can be in Elvish is in Elvish.

Rolled a 21 on Recognize Weapon Quality needed a 40.

Lore D-Bee 47
09:49, Today: Polkitain rolled 76 using 1d100 ((76)).
Failed.


Hearing Dragonese Polkitain perks up.

"Hello. The civilized tongue."

Ethan was able to refrain from letting out a sigh as he listened to the exchange between the short woman and his companions. He had no idea what was being spoken now but it seemed like everyone else knew it. "Maybe we will run into someone that speaks Chinese," he thought. "Then it will be my turn to show off my language skills while they stand around and watch."

Kalista realized her husband could not understand and so began quietly translating the conversation for him.

Ethan leaned in closer to his wife so that she would be able to keep her voice as low as possible. The fact that she knew what was being said was just one more thing he could add to the list of things he found amazing about her.

Thanks to her linguistic effort, he was able to get the gist of what was going on. "Maybe tell her I am a doctor," he whispered in American English to Kalista. "Offer my services even if they don't want to give us anything in return. They just might decide to reciprocate on their own."

Ethan thought about having Kalista inform the short woman that he was likely familiar with the technology of their bunker but decided to hold back. "They might take it as a subtle threat, rather than an offer of help," he thought.

Kalista nodded and spoke up in Draongese, "Madam my husband," indicating Ethan, "Is a physician. He has offered to diagnose and treat any illnesses you might have among you. He asks for nothing in return."

Polk trotted up closer to the woman.

Private lines sent...



Polkitain's comment is answered only by a chuckle by the female and a raised eyebrow by the male. When he approaches the female dwarf, she ignores him.

The female priestess answers Arulas (in Elven-Dragonese). "We know of your orc. His band has tested our defenses more than once, and he found no weakness to exploit. I know not where he is now."

When the offer of medical attention is made from Ethan and Kalista, the male rolls his eyes, but the female accepts. "We rely upon herbalists and psychic healers here. Our methods are labor-intensive compared to your technology, but it serves us well. One of our ladies is in labor now. Assistance would be welcome. Your healer and one other may enter our domain, unarmed. The others and the animals may wait with Geraldo in the guard tower and the matter of this orc whom you pursue."

Under the assumption that they understand as little American as they profess, Nyx muttered to Arulas, "Ain't getting close to no pint-sized sprogging, but I would appreciate someone making observations about those rune bracers and whatever material they're making things from. Tower suits me fine"

Doc nodded, "Tower it is then."

"There used to be a day and age when people were surprised at talking Donkeys."
Polk rejoins his gunslinger friends.

  "Kalista go with Ethan. The rest of us will stay and discuss things with Geraldo." he says in American. "I hope this isn't a trap." he mutters in Lyn-Syral. And in Elvish he says to Geraldo "Lead the way good sir. Lead the way."

Kalista nodded and handed over her weapons to her former pupil.

Ethan listened to the words of the Dwarf priestess, as translated and relayed through his wife, and gave the small woman a bow. He didn’t know whether or not the gesture of courtesy meant the same thing in their culture but he figured it wasn’t likely to do any irreparable harm to the rapport they were trying to establish.

When he had straightened from his bow, he handed over his rifle, pistol, silver knife and vibro-knife to Sir Arulas. Then he took his field bag off his back and set it on the ground. He opened it, revealing the insides to be filled with bandages or various sizes and shapes, rolls of tape, syringes, bags of saline…all standard items in field medics “A Pack”. In truth he hardly needed all of it since coming through the rift that had sent him centuries into the future but he carried around nonetheless. For one thing, he didn’t want to become reliant on those mysterious powers. For two, he figured keeping his abilities a secret from those that might not take kindly to them, like the Coalition States, wasn’t a bad idea.

After giving the priestess and her gruff companion enough time to see that nothing out of the ordinary was in his field bag, he closed it up and slung it over his shoulders again. Then he looked at his wife and smiled, “Ready to have a baby?” he asked her, grinning.

Kalista nodded, "Yes, ready."

Polk looks to Doc, "Can't we stay out here and play cards instead of going in a tower ?"

Doc shrugged and looked at Nyx, "Whatcha think brother?"

Continuing to speak in American, Nyx shrugged, "Stay and play with Polk. Just be careful, he's a hustler. Don't let the hooves fool you..."

Grimacing he added, "I need to speak to the stunty about his chain. It could be important"

Doc nodded, "Keep your eyes peeled brother, call if you need me." Turning to Polk, "Who's deal is it?"

"You can deal and is being a hustler a good thing ?"

Doc laughed, and began looking for his playing cards, "If you're good at it, yeah. But if you ain't... it can get you shot. Not that you have to worry about that much Polk."

Polk asks,"Do you have a spare poncho ? As I understand it hands are needed for this game."

The Split Party, Part 1

Polkitain gains a new skill, Gambling. Doc gets a bonus of 250 XP for teaching the skill.

Kalista and Ethan follow the priestess into the dim interior. A long slanting corridor brings them deeper. The passage is narrow and protected by a series of armored doors, each individually guarded. Simplistic electric lights hum overhead.

The passage opens into a a huge chamber carved out of the earth. Streets and short homes inside the space are constructed from cobblestone. Carved statues of dragons are everywhere. Dragon-snapped gargoyles over doorways are particularly common.

Ethan will recognise the influence of Spanish culture. Dwarf children kick a football through the streets. The sound of stringed music carries through the cavern, playing a tune not much unlike mariachi music.

Kalista will recognize the religious iconography. She has seen this before in places like Tolkeen. These dwarves are a part of the Church of Dragonright, and they worship the dragon gods of the world were Arulas' parents were born.

Ethan went into the bunker having an idea of what to expect and for the first part of the journey, his expectations were met. The bunker, with its armored doors and completely metal corridors, could have been something from his time. Then again it could have also been built using Post-Rifts technology but it seemed unlikely that any of the nation-states of the modern era with the resources to build this would do so and then abandon it. Other than informing them of his suspicions of who built the bunker and how old it is, he doubted he could tell them anything more about it.

Then their guide lead them into the deepest part of the bunker yet and everything changed. Gone were the metal corridors and electric lights. In their place was earth and stone streets and house, sized for dwarves. "Wow," he thought to himself looking around, "they really like dragons and gargoyles. I wonder what they would think if they knew what Polk really is?"

The combat medic watched as dwarven children kicked a soccer ball around as the fast, lively, music played. To his ears it certainly sounded like mariachi music, complete with horns and the occasional "Ai ai ai!" from one of the dwarven musicians. It was yet another surreal moment in his life here on Earth during the time of the Rifts.

He knew the priestess couldn't understand him but he spoke anyways, trusting in his wife to translate. "Your community is beautiful and lively," he says, meaning. it. "Thank you for allowing us to see it."