Dream-Maker Part 1: The Gathering Of Heroes

It was a hot morning in the Pal'tanir, Qesrir welcomed us with a radiant sun that would burn away our very flesh were it not for our protective clothing. A wide hat such as my own makes for poor camouflage, but it does wonders to hide me from the punishing rays of the sun of these lands. We arrived here on a massive contraption called a train, a steam locomotive that burns hot and travels upon rails at a rapid pace. Surely nothing can stop it from coming through due to sheer size and material alone, wood and iron both. Aboard this vessel, we met with one Pari khan'Shald, a noble woman of proud stature and attractive measurements, hailing from the cold lands of Gelethis, a realm of the shardscape inside the Wyldrysc. Only a plane of the fae could birth a noblewoman of her appearance; one that holds a certain air of nobility and comfort alike. If it was not for her wings that shift to complement her chosen appearance, I would think her an Owl of the Moonlight from an imaginary tale. As she is a princess, Bellamy made sure to swiftly set the standard of our introduction through words most virtuous and noble, spending not a second more than was necessary to compliment her as was proper. Learning more of the princess was a fun activity, now realising that we are in the presence of both a noble and a researcher, a woman of both charisma and intellect both!
 
Soon as we exited the train, Owl now in our company, our eyes scoured the area for one who would give us directions to our destination. Our expedition to the Shar and the jungles of it couldn't begin if we had nobody to direct us. It was not long before our eyes were set upon one I falsely perceived to be a local, when in truth, I was resting my gaze upon a hero. "Look... The height of a mythical figure, accompanied by a body akin to a statue representing a god of strength. His face nearly rectangular in shape, a judgemental stare that pierces through the soul... This man is a hero indeed." My meager words filled the quiet around me, as the Dream-maker stood tall, measuring the man's ability in less than whatever lies below a thousandth of a second, before he let form a stream of words that I am too little to recite, yet I do as I must and merely try. "Hello, we need directions." My mind nearly exploded, the Dream-maker approached the towering giant with no fear in his eyes, a stern expression visible upon his faceplate. The giant man, turning to face the heroic Dream-maker, stared deep inside his soul, making my knees weak for I am nowhere near their caliber. "Hmmm." Said the giant, a thrumming sound that shook the very foundations of the earth momentarily, before continuing. "No, I am also looking for directions." What a great fortune Noct has had to meet another hero of such might. Before me expanded a tale, a legend, of two heroes exchanging blows with evil most profound, yet standing side by side with impeccable form and bravery. As the two heroes stood there, somewhat confused of where to go, there was another who entered the scene. This one who much harder to notice, but equally as hard to forget afterwards. The small lizard creature stood on two feet and was in the possession of only one arm. The other was... Different. A genius combination of magic and engineering both, an arm made to replace his old one with superior technology the likes I have never witnessed before. You could see the incredible intellect hidden inside that reptilian skull of his from the simple glint of his drake-like eyes. His words sounded strange, his expressions strange yet easy to adapt to. He spoke "Vurak also doesn't know where to go." It cannot be coincidence. We all met for we chose to be here, to make our dreams come true. Perhaps our dreams are shared with one another and we know not of it yet.
 
The problem was solved soon by none other than the Dream-maker, who valiantly approached the town. With ingenuity to match her appearance, The Owl strode forth and approached one of the people seeking entry into the town, masterfully convincing them of the importance of the matter. It would so happen the person she approached was an influential figure who granted us entry without any questions. Perhaps for the better. Now back to civilization, we used Pari the owl's knowledge of this area, gained by her interaction with this person of interest that gained us entry, to find our way around, swiftly ending up at our planned destination making no mistakes whatsoever while doing so. Talima Lodge, a form of housing provided to us by the Academics funding this expedition, aptly named, as Talima is the name of the woman who seemed to be in charge of the place. A curious locale to be sure, the shelter of a mysterious individual simply known as Wyr, a man with draconic features who is unable to speak. Surely he has chosen to do so to avoid wreaking absolute destruction upon the world, his voice a weapon capable of unraveling all under the unforgiving sun should it be allowed to echo freely. Thus I share a room with Bellamy yet again, as it should be. We were given a brief tour of this fine establishment, taking in all the necessary details that would make our stay here all the more comfortable.
 
After we had finally settled, it was time to obtain food. Thus, our newly formed group of heroes, set out to find proper nourishment for our bodies. Bread and fish was on the menu. Finally resting at a fish restaurant that surprisingly charges services of preparing fish you have brought yourself, we counted the surprising amount of money we spent following Teremun's lead. Alas, food for a man so humongous would always come at a price. A high one at that. Getting to know each other better was the treat needed after this surprisingly well made meal of ours. Teremun, the giant man, revealed to us his tragic story, a background filled with greed, his people, one of the Veldraani tribes, wiped out entirely around twenty five years ago, destroyed by the hands of a horrible necromancer that ran rampant back then. Pari followed, revealing to the rest of the heroes her noble status and princely upbringing of her once gone queendom. Vurak spoke a tale of questionable details, revealing the events that lead to the loss of his arm and the creation of a new one. Bonding together over food and good company, it was a noon well spent. Heading home, we went about preparing our rooms for us to stay in, only of course until we inquired of the lodge further, and of course, the agreement Pari made with that influential figure who got us inside the town. She is meant to work a night market and attract customers through, what my weak mind considers to be, questionable means. A good way to spend the night we all agreed, promising to visiting her stall. With that matter put to rest, our attention was drawn to Teremun's desire to train... One sight to behold that would be, all of us were sure.
 
Going outside to the courtyard, Teremun took off his shirt, the giant man practicing what he called "The Thousand Forms". With extreme focus, Teremun moved decisively about the courtyard, moving his giant polearm around like it was made of air, his stance confident and defiant. It was as if his presence alone would protect allies from harm. So powerful was his soul piercing stare that I averted my eyes whenever they met my own. When his exercise was done, Bellamy congratulated him on his performance... And the challenge was made. Teremun, the Son of Rock, challenged Bellamy the Dream-maker to a sparring match. The clash of these titans was sure to create chaos among the very fabric of reality were they to go all out, thus it was decided this would be them at their weakest, deciding merely the fate of the surrounding area. Their clash was brief, yet it was all that was required for me to understand how powerful, beyond all mortal ability, both of the heroes were. Each clash of their weapons shook the earth beneath us, causing the air to blow according to their swings. Teremun's extreme focus made him resist any and all blows, making Bellamy's attacks find no real purchase. Unprepared for this foe, Bellamy accepted defeat. Yet there was still someone who had something to prove closeby... With a single word, Pari entered the match, snapping Teremun out of his extreme focus, leaving him vulnerable. A lesson learned by everyone, we now had a better understanding of our strengths and weaknesses. With that valuable information shared between us, I thought it was time to retire for a few hours to prepare for our nightly venture into the market. And a venture to the start of our adventure together.