Quest 1: A Wild Dwarf Appears! [Dictated/Action][Open to all - let me know if I messed up!!]

[fuckelves]

[Where is he? Why is there a book in his hand?]

...from the make of this place, I'd say this is Elf sorcery...

[To appease his curiosity, Thorin opens the book and finds not only his name, but the words he spoke not seconds ago written inside.]

...definitely Elf devilry.

[He tilts a brow and observes his surroundings - seems to be a lobby of some sort. Dwarves don't typically live in castles, so he knows this is not the work of his kind - and his kind would never demand the sacrifice that this castle did.]

Where in Mahal's beard am I?

Comments

[wizard_redfive]

No more fruitless than other feeding techniques. We humans often burn energy while preparing or eating meals. Some food barely pays off, like celery, yet people still eat it.

[fuckelves]

[Celery - a foreign concept to a Dwarf...they don't eat much green food...]

That...does indeed make the whole process seem odd...

[Even Thorin's not sure he's understanding her properly..]

Super late, ahhh, forgive me

[wizard_redfive]

[Dairine snorts.]

Tell me about it. I nearly failed my Ordeal because of how inefficient it seems.

It's all good! :)

[fuckelves]

Your Ordeal? What is that? Do you face some manner of trial that no other faces?

:)

[wizard_redfive]

I guess you could say that. Wizard Ordeals are typically tailored to the individual after all. But all wizards go through one.

[fuckelves]

What precisely is a Wizard Ordeal? I've not heard of them from the one Wizard I know from my world...

[wizard_redfive]

It's a test of skill that wizards get when they start out. The Ordeal makes sure we are suited for wizardry and the dangers it holds.

[By putting young pre-teens in mortal peril. Fun, fun.]

[fuckelves]

[Thorin nods, he can understand such trials. Dwarrows must prove themselves Dwarf men, Wizards should prove themselves skilled in magic. Made sense.]

I understand, seems to make sense to me. It is not unlike a mortal's test of manhood.

[wizard_redfive]

I am mortal. I doubt most tests of manhood involve facing ancient Powers of darkness, but sure, I guess that works.

[fuckelves]

You're a wizard and yet you are mortal? Interesting...I was under the impression that wizards were immortal, save for being wounded in battle.

[wizard_redfive]

[Suddenly Dairine is confused.]

Uh, yeah? Most wizards are mortal where I'm from, though I suppose if there is an immortal species out there, it's wizards would be immortal.

[fuckelves]

In my world, there seems to be no end to the lives of Wizards...and Elves.

Both seem to know the world since its birth, and while Elves hide their true age with their magic, Wizards reflect their age in their appearance.

[wizard_redfive]

Immortality does seem rather common in Arda, though I'm not sure that's how Elven magic works. [Galadriel hadn't even been all that certain about what magic meant in the first place.]

You don't seem to like Elves very much. What's your beef?

[fuckelves]

[Oooh do you really want to open that can of worms...]

[Thorin's expression grows sour. Very dark and angry.]

A dragon came and conquered my kingdom. It wiped out more than half my people, the Elves arrived at the last moment to give aid. But changed their minds and instead of helping as we expected, they abandoned us. Left us to die at the mouth of the dragon.

They have done nothing but provide grief for myself and my kin.

[wizard_redfive]

A dragon? [The first dragon that comes to mind is Toothless, her old friend, one of the first she met in Paradisa. But no, Toothless was many things, but not a destroyer. Picturing him conquering anything would be laughable.]

[With that in mind, she considers Thorin's tale. What the Elves did would explain his distrust of them. However, some things seemed a little off about his tale. From what she had read, there were at least three types of elves in Middle Earth, whom had spread and created their own governing bodies. It seemed unlike that all the elves of Middle Earth would have gathered, only to abandon the cause they had come for. Therefore, it would make more sense that it would be a more local elf city or group.]

Maybe the elves haven't been much help to you, but can you speak the same for all your kin? Or the elves outside the ones you met, for that matter? There seem to be many elves within Arda. Surely not all of them were responsible for your kingdom's fate.

[fuckelves]

[Thorin tilts a brow in suspicion. He wondered how his new companion knew of his world - but then again, there were others of his world in this castle. Others who had been here far longer than he. So it only made sense that people not of the Arda would know of it.]

I would not speak ill of my kin. But I can promise you this: If we had assembled to accomplish a task, it would have been done.

[An exaggeration; Thorin's own cousin refused to aid him when he approached him about retaking the mountain. But he's not about to admit that Dwarves and Elves share this similarity.]

[wizard_redfive]

Sure, of course, but that's not what I asked. I meant, are you sure that all of your kin would say the same of elves?

[She assumes by "kin" what he means is his species, though he might also just be referring to his family line. Either way, the broad generalization seems somewhat questionable.]

[fuckelves]

....

[Realistically, no. He can't say that. But he cannot admit it aloud.]

There has always been antagonism between Elves and Dwarves. It did not start with my time. The Elves look down upon us, consider us inferior beings created by a god that was too anxious to create life. Is it so wrong to bear resentment towards them for such an attitude?

[wizard_redfive]

[She frowns.]

Have they called you such things? [She pauses, thinking of the best answer.] Resenting being treated that way is one thing, but expecting it only because of someone's species is generalizing and can be harmful to everyone involved.

[fuckelves]

Indeed they have.

[Certainly not all of them ever. But most Elves Thorin's ever encountered do have this superior attitude, especially where Dwarves are concerned.]

We didn't start this, I can promise you that.

[wizard_redfive]

Mmm.

[She hums, which at least sounds like she's in agreement. However, she is not fully convinced. Every conflict has at least two sides, and each one will see the issue differently. In her experience, both will also see their side as the truth. That seemed to be a universal constant, and she doubted that Arda was any different. Dairine makes note to look in the library for more history of dwarf and elvish relations, as well as ask Galadriel for her take on it.

However, she does not want to make judgments either way until she learns more, so she pushes the topic to the side.]

So you are a dwarf? I have never met a dwarf before.

[fuckelves]

Indeed, I'm a Dwarf. I am the last descendant of the line of Durin, one of the greatest of Dwarf kings.

That being said, I am King Under the Mountain, making me ruler of Erebor, the greatest of Dwarf kingdoms.

[Thorin chuckles a bit.]

Not bad for your first Dwarf, eh?

[wizard_redfive]

[...More royals. As if she didn't already have enough in her life.

Well, at least half the royals around here weren't quite so annoying. He didn't seem that bad thus far with the exception of the elf thing, so she'll give him a chance.]

I guess not. I'm Dairine Callahan, and on behalf of human wizards I greet you.

[fuckelves]

It is indeed my pleasure to meet you. The wizard I was last acquainted with may not have been human, but he had my respect, as he helped me and my kin a great deal.

[He gives a small bow, his spine bending the slightest bit.]

I've a great respect for your kind.