TDM #4

[calderaevents]

ARRIVAL

It happens in an instant. A heavy weight in your gut, a trembling of your limbs, the world spins and you barely have time to register that you're falling before you lose consciousness. And when you awaken, it's not where you were last. Dark, unadorned oak walls surround you in a tiny room, the only furniture the bed you are currently resting upon, and the bedside table with a folded piece of parchment resting atop it that simply reads:

“The Tavernkeeper is awaiting your arrival downstairs.”

As you exit you find others like yourself emerging from the surrounding rooms. You are indeed in a tavern, but there is no hustle and bustle one might think to hear in such a place. The only person down on the main floor is a humanoid figure wiping down the bar, who smiles when they see you. They're familiar, but not, and you can't quite place their face. For some reason, however, their presence is comforting and warm.

“Welcome, Visitor. I'm sure you have a lot of questions.”

And you most certainly do.

Due to popular demand, the starter tavern and the drinks provided are available to in game characters via a portal accessible only to those with a faction gem.

DRINK MENU

WINTER'S WHISPER A fragrant spiced tea that calms the nerves and inspires the drinker to share their hopes and dreams.

JINGLE BELL A crisp, bright drink...that makes jingling bell sounds as you walk. There are no bells, and yet you jingle.

S(LAY) RIDE This drink has an earthy, woody taste. Almost as woody as the tavern floor it forces you to lie down upon. You cannot get up unless someone else helps you.

MISTLETOE MEAD Made with honey from enchanted bee hives and a touch of mistletoe leaves. Time to find a smoochin' partner!

HOLLY JOLLY SPICE A bold and fiery blend of rum, cinnamon, and cloves with a secret twist—just a dash of enchanted holly berry syrup that makes your cheeks flush with warmth and your laughter contagious. One sip, and you're the life of the party, even if you're by yourself.

CANDY CANE CRUSH A festive burst of minty sweetness with a cool, refreshing sensation that tingles the tongue. The drinker’s mood subtly shifts the color of their surroundings, briefly changing the hues of objects or lights in the room to match their feelings.

GINGERBREAD MAN A thick drink that tastes exactly like a gingerbread cookie. However, candy and other delicious accents start appearing on you as if YOU were the cookie. Is that icing on your nose? Candied cherries in your hair? Gumdrop buttons? But on the bright side, free candy!

CHOOSE YOUR DESTINY

As the effects of your drink wear off, the Tavernkeeper speaks once more:

”It is time, my friends, for you to find your new homes.”

You are compelled to walk through the only door leading out of the tavern, finding yourself not outside, but in a deep black, seemingly endless room with five portals arranged in a circle. As the last of you leave and the door closes behind you, gone when you look back again and replaced with nothing but that black void, three of the portals illuminate:

The first portal is surrounded by an almost blinding light, prismatic rainbows shining brightly in the dewy air outside of the tavern. A soft breeze may gently caress you, pulling you toward it. The portal seems to lead to a city in the clouds, airships and winged beings of all sorts soaring through the skies. Of the little bits of visible land, much of it boasts giant waterfalls that look like clouds melting into the land below. The portal calls to those who crave independence and freedom; and especially to anyone that wishes to find the strong bond of a family not forged in blood.

The second portal is encircled by a fairy ring of spotted white capped mushrooms, the faint scent of damp stone and rich earth wafting from within the faint green glow. Peering inside, one can see a sprawling harbor city of gray hewn stone, a melting pot of humanoid beings going about their day, and beyond, rolling green farmland and cottages clustered in small villages. This portal is destined for those who crave stability and solid ground beneath their feet. A simple life, an adventurous one, and everything in between can be found within.

The last portal is adorned with shells and seaweed, the glow of blue around it catching on droplets cascading down the circular opening. Beyond it you see a city housed inside a massive bubble deep under the ocean, spiraling towers encrusted with coral, and a variety of different creatures mingling about the streets. Outside of that bubble, merfolk swim, a massive squid engulfs the view from the portal as it smoothly glides through the water, and schools of fish disperse as it passes. A sanctuary in the sea that calls to those with a hunger for knowledge and a desire to aid those in need. Or perhaps it is the mystery that beckons you - the lure of the unknown in the depths that bids you explore it.

---

Upon following the pull of the breeze through the first portal, you are thrust into the beauty of a lively city that goes by the name of Heaven's Bow. Much of this main city feels exactly as you would expect on a city below, but there are clouds surrounding every direction you look. The walls of buildings are made with light-colored limestone, and buildings are generally built up to heights made even more grandiose by their position in the sky.

The Skyfall Docks are the first thing you notice, boasting hundreds of airships sailing in and out across the clouds with shouts that accompany a typical port city. Just outside is a fantastic market with goods not only from the other regions of Caldera, but from what some shopkeepers claim are other worlds--items sold or left behind by Visitors. Almost anything can be found in the markets if one is willing to look hard enough. Transport to other locations throughout the sky and even to the land or sea can be found here.

If the docks are too lively for you, you may instead find yourself roaming the underbelly of Heaven's Bow and finding brothels and gambling parlors filled with the promise of pleasure and fortune. The guild house for the Sylphs can be found here as well, giving out quests and training to prospective adventurers and guards alike--though none of them seem concerned with the illicit activities that surround them. Perhaps the freedom the Sylphs boast of extends to what others may deem an undesirable activity.

But most curious of all, you find a shimmering opal gemstone in your hand. When placed anywhere on the body, it will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If it was the second portal that called to you, you will find yourself in the busy city of Grey Ward, with its cobblestone streets and sturdy grey stone buildings. You are in the heart of the city, the Glass Market, so named for the colorful stained glass windows of the surrounding buildings. The scent of cooking food and the sound of barkers fills the air; watchful guards keep an eye out for pickpockets and thieves, and citizens go about their day. From here, one can investigate the rest of the city: the Sundown Docks, where both sea and sky faring skips transport people and goods. The Soot Spire, home of inventors and engineers. The Hearthstill, the main residential area. The Downs, a smaller residential area for those with less means.

Outside the city walls, one can explore acres of farmlands to the east and west, or follow Terra’s Pass to the less settled areas, but take care. Past the Skyward Range, out in the smaller burrows and villages, the influence of the city guard diminishes quickly, and you’ll have to keep your wits about you. Bandits along the road are always a risk, and the wildlife are less controlled by regimented hunting.

In your hand is a gemstone, a brilliantly green emerald that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

If the last portal beckoned you through it, you find yourself within that bubble covered city beneath the sea, the city of Salt Spire. Your ears pop with the change in pressure, and the smell of the salty sea fills your nostrils. All around you buildings made of dark stone encrusted with coral and seagrass tower high above your head, the backdrop outside the dome a deep blue, seemingly endless sea filled with fish and merfolk and all other manner of creature swimming through the water. You stand in the heart of it all, surrounded by people with gils on their necks and scales upon their vibrantly colored skin, all of whom seem intrigued by your arrival. You have many options of where to visit in the city under the sea, but where oh where will you go first?

The Salt Spire Library is right before you, an impossibly large building housing thousands upon thousands of books of all genres. Fiction, non-fiction, romance and mystery and all between. You may even find books from your world and others! Oddly enough though, no Calderan history books are to be found, and if you ask for them, the librarians and locals all choose to ignore your questions.

If scholarly pursuits aren't to your interest currently, perhaps a trip to Bluetide Market would be more your style? The marketplace is host to every manner of shop one might ever need: artisans of all varieties, apothecaries and healers in the Shimmer Quarter, the most in fashion undersea clothing shops, food stalls, and all between can be found in Bluetide. There are also the Tideshore and Fogbottom docks on either end of the city. The former allows transport to the surface via large, magical bubbles for those that cannot hold their breath or make the swim themselves yet. The latter allows people to venture further into the sea. Those without their underwater abilities are offered rebreathers for travel that last for four hours before needing to be replaced.

In your hand is a gemstone, a shining sapphire that, when placed anywhere on the body, will transform into a piece of jewelry with the gemstone set in the center.

---

Visitors in all starter cities are offered a standard home with basic necessities provided (your choice in design, etc.) that can house 1-4 people if they so choose. Home upgrades can be purchased via rewards.

FANNING THE FLAMES

The renewed seething of the lava flows brought on by the tempestuous events deep below the sea seem to have been dealt with, though city guards have been stationed around the crater and are barring anyone from approaching to investigate any further than the outskirts. Interestingly, not only does the crater seem calm, it appears to be changing. Any remaining lava flow is being directed as if by unseen hands, and when the light catches just right, the barest hint of a shimmer can be detected surrounding the glowing rivers. New rock formations take shape as the days pass, though one never can catch the presence of a mason working on the structures. It's as if something intangible or invisible is repairing what was broken, turning what was previously chaos and ruin into order and life.

SEASON OF LIGHT

The world remains unsettled, still bearing the scars of the trials endured just a month prior, not to mention the oddities happening with the volcanic crater and the ominous shadows creeping in from the sea continue to haunt the collective psyche, leaving both locals and visitors on constant edge, fearful of a sudden, unprovoked assault. Despite these lingering anxieties, the leaders have publicly reassured all that calm has been restored. They claim that the worst is behind them and that every measure is being taken to prevent such devastating magics from ever threatening Salt Spire again. The protective bubble holds, new Undine are being ushered into their roles, and the world, it is said, is slowly healing. Or so they claim.

Whether or not the assurances of the leaders ring entirely true, life, as it often does, presses on. The people of Caldera have once again immersed themselves in the comforting bustle of distraction, turning their attention to the imminent Season of Lights celebrations. This holiday, it seems, bears a striking resemblance to the festive cheer of Christmas (and a mix of new years), with gifts exchanged in abundance and decorations of shimmering silver and radiant blue casting their glow across the sky, sea, and land in harmonious splendor.

One of the seasons's highlights is the grand Feast of the Sky, a night when the people gather beneath a star-filled canopy to exchange gifts—ornate trinkets, hand-crafted items, and tokens of affection that carry deep personal meaning. In the days leading up to the feast, a tradition of "Lightwalking" emerges, where families and friends embark on midnight strolls through streets aglow with lanterns, singing carols and sharing stories of hope and renewal. Sea-going vessels, too, partake in the festivities, their sails and riggings festooned with glowing orbs that drift like stars across the waters.

The Season of Lights is, above all, a celebration of resilience, a time when the people of Caldera set aside their worries, if only for a little while, to bask in the glow of community, generosity, and the promise of brighter days ahead thanks to the Visitor's arrival...

THE GRAND MASQUERADE

Another highlight of the season is the Grand Masquerade that unfolds high above the world in Heaven’s Bow, the floating city where the wind dances in the sky and the stars seem close enough to touch. The event is more than just a celebration of the Season of Lights—it’s a gathering of hope, a last-ditch effort to save Caldera from its slow unraveling. Here, among the clouds and the wind, the people of Caldera and the mysterious Visitors from other worlds come together in a shimmering, ethereal celebration, their faces hidden behind elaborate masks and appropriately fancy dress provided when one steps through the threshold of the castle gates.

The palace at the heart of Heaven’s Bow is a breathtaking sight, its walls adorned with silver and blue decorations that catch the light from thousands of lanterns floating in mid-air. The atmosphere is both jubilant and tense, a world on the brink of collapse holding its breath in the hopes that this fleeting night will offer a glimmer of salvation. The sky above is painted with the colors of dusk and dawn, swirling in a palette of purples, blues, and silvers.

Sylphs—the free-spirited, airborn people of the Sky—flutter about, their wings glinting in the light, performing acrobatic feats in the air, their laughter and music mingling with the sounds of the celebration. Guests, their masks intricate and stunning, move among the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and stories, some joining in the dances while others linger near the grand tables, laden with food and drink from every corner of Caldera and beyond.

As the night unfolds, the guests find themselves drawn into different corners of the event—each space offering the Visitors a chance to prove themselves worthy of the leaders’ favor. There is no shortage of opportunities to learn, grow, and, perhaps, change the course of this dying world.

THE SKY'S ASCENSION

At one end of the palace's terrace, a floating platform hovers above the clouds, surrounded by shifting air currents. Sylphs glide effortlessly through the space, their wings leaving trails of light as they move to the lively music, which seems written by the wind itself.

Aella, Admiral of the Slyph, stands at the center of the platform, her cloak of shimmering feathers rippling in the breeze. She surveys the crowd, inviting those brave enough to take part in her challenge. Before them, a maze of floating platforms stretches out, some wide and stable, others narrow and swaying in the wind. The task is simple: leap from one platform to the next, navigating the shifting air and ever-changing obstacles.

The platforms move unpredictably, some rising higher, others sinking, and a few disappearing entirely. Guests must time their jumps perfectly, balancing agility with timing as they avoid falling into the clouds below.

Those who succeed will earn Aella’s favor (in the form of 100 Bones and a single white feather). And those who falter will simply reappear the start of the challenge to begin anew or give up with no repercussions for the latter save perhaps a bit of embarrassment.

THE SEA'S SECRETS

On the other side of the terrace, a serene water garden unfolds, its shimmering pools reflecting the stars above. Water flows in delicate, endless cascades, filling the air with a soft, soothing melody that mingles with the distant sound of waves. The Undines, graceful and serene beings of the Sea, glide effortlessly through the space, their robes flowing like gentle currents, their movements as fluid as the water itself.

Cordelia, Queen of the Sea, stands quietly on a raised platform at the edge of the garden, her presence calm and powerful. Her eyes, deep and unfathomable, seem to reflect the vastness of the ocean, and though she watches the guests, she does not engage with them. Her stillness holds an air of mystery, as if she is both present and yet unreachable.

The Undines move silently through the garden, offering peaceful company to those who wander nearby. The garden is a place of contemplation, where guests can simply pause and connect with the tranquil beauty of the water—its soothing flow, its quiet depths, and its promise of renewal. There are no tests or challenges here, only the peace of the Sea to calm the mind and soul.

Those who linger may feel the weight of ancient knowledge in the air, a silent understanding of the oceans' mysteries and the healing power of water. In this place, the answers are not spoken, but felt—a quiet reminder that some of the world’s deepest truths are best discovered in moments of stillness.

As the evening fades, those who have found solace in the garden’s stillness will discover, tucked gently in their palm, a lustrous pearl. Unlike any found on the shores, this pearl is soft and warm, its surface shimmering with an inner light. It is a symbol of the wisdom that comes from quiet reflection—the knowledge that some things, like the depth of the sea, cannot be rushed.

THE LAND'S EMBRACE

In the heart of the palace gardens, beneath a canopy of flowering trees, the Dryads drift gracefully among the guests, their earthy skin glowing with life and their eyes bright with the vitality of nature. The air is thick with the scent of blooming roses and jasmine, while the ground beneath the guests' feet pulses with a quiet energy, inviting them to pause and feel the garden’s magic.

Terra, the Lady of the Land, stands at the center, her form adorned in living vines and blossoms, moving as if the garden itself flows through her. Her presence is both nurturing and fierce, a silent invitation to those seeking connection—to the land, to love, and to one another.

Guests are drawn to the tranquil beauty of the garden, stealing soft moments with their partners among the flowers. Lovers exchange quiet glances, touch petals with gentle fingers, and share unspoken promises beneath the soft glow of lanterns. The garden hums with romance, as if the earth itself is blessing these tender moments, offering the quiet assurance that love—like the land—can grow in the most unexpected places.

As the night draws to a close, Terra’s gentle power is felt in the air, and for those who have taken the time to connect with the garden’s beauty, a soft gift of nature is bestowed. A flower—unique and radiant—appears in their hand, a token of love and growth, a reminder that even the briefest moments can take root and blossom into something everlasting.

QUESTBOARD [NEW QUESTS ADDED]

Settled in? Good. It's time to make your way to the Questboard located in every city in numerous, easy to access locations. That is, if you want to make any kind of impact on the world or just get some Bones for anything you might wish to purchase. Visitors are given a very small stipend in which to survive every month, but all it does is keep you fed and housed. These quests will assure you greater wealth, and they're the main reason you're here: each finished quest helps the Calderans fix their shattering world.

Quests can be accepted at the questboard via magically signed parchment upon the board. Just sign your name to accept and the paper will be whisked away... somewhere. You're not actually sure. Probably nothing to concern yourself with.

Once quests are completed, earned Bones will be dropped off at the character's residence by Bonita, the mysterious artisan who has supposedly handcrafted every Bone circulating in Caldera. Please do not speak to her, she startles easily.

OOC NOTES

Welcome to Caldera's fourth TDM! All characters awaken in a strange tavern with nothing save the clothes on their backs, all of their powers stripped, and a piece of parchment directing them downstairs to the Tavernkeeper. There is a thread of all questions answered by the Tavernkeeper here, and if you have more, feel free to ask there for what would be offered ICly.

For OOC questions, please direct themhere.

All locations are available to be explored!

The TDM is game canon and all completed quests can be carried over once accepted into the game.

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Comments

[thecodexabides]

[It's hard to lead an Ultramarine astray, when they get 15 minutes of down time per day and spend half of it praying, and get frequently yelled at by Chaplains who can bring an entire array of penances and punishments. Even the threat of a Chaplain's censure would silence any Ultramarine's tongue.]

[He's just going to glare. He is NOT complaining! Don't make him throw things to prove it!] This all seems needlessly complicated. What are funds? Why must so many people get involved? [Gross. Space Marines don't deal with money and finances. Stuff they need just appears or they do without it. ] And I am to trust strangers to be my brothers in arms? [He begins to think the not Eldar has lost his mind. Just a little.]

[holdshisown]

[To him that kind of blind obedience is exactly the kind of environment someone like Morgoth or Sauron would thrive in. They'd say all the right things and sound oh so reasonable when the manipulations would begin. It was like leaving a door wide open, welcoming the demons in.]

[Oh yes, that will show him you're not throwing a tantrum.] Does it? Sounds simple enough to me, a very simple transactional set-up. Funds is any sort of currency you can exchange for goods and services. In this place they are called 'bones.' [Clearly someone was in charce of the economics of it all. Otherwise Gadriel and his fellows would have ended up with a fat lot of nothing before long.] You're going to have to learn to try at least. You'll not get far here by going at it alone. [His mental instability completely irrelevant to this topic and he'll thank you very much not to comment on it.]

[thecodexabides]

[That would never EVER happen in Gadriel's world. That would make the noble crusade into depressing meatgrinder dystopia.]

So I am to sell myself like some...servitor for someone else's responsibilities? [This just sounds worse and worse.]

[Listen, finances were Primarch and Administratum stuff. Just like leaves all the science to the Mechanicus, he leaves the...getting stuff stuff to the correct people. Though he does approve of the name of this currency. How's a guy who has a minimum of three skulls on his armor at all times NOT love the idea of 'bones'? ]
And will I be punished if they betray me and I extract vengeance? [Because everything here is all screwed up so probably you're not allowed to just go around killing people who let you down? Hey at least he's checking!]

[holdshisown]

[Yes, and we can't have that can we? For Gadriel's world is anything but a depressing meatgrinder dystopia. Right?]

You say that as if it's the worst indignity you can suffer... which makes me think maybe you had a somewhat privileged and sheltered life after all. [Compared to Angband this, for all that he wasn't exactly jumping for joy for it, was nothing.] It's annoying, I'll grant you, but at least it's not as bad as it could be.

[Maedhros narrows his eyes suspisciously at Gadriel.] That would depend on what you mean by 'betray' and 'vengeance' specificaly. I'd personally not take to kindly to you running around murdering the people here for minor infractions... or without trying to deal with things in a non-violent way at first.

[thecodexabides]

[But it's HIS depressing meatgrinding dystopia and he's used to it!]

Is there some fate worse than a servitor in this place? [If so he maybe doesn't want to know. Is there something worse than to be more or less lobotomized and used as roaming data for a ship? ]


[Excuse him while he laughs.] Sheltered. Privileged. [Listen up you little weirdo.] I have been fighting Xenos for several decades. I have faced a Lord of Change and thwarted its vile plans.

[Listen, is he going to have to get you a copy of the Codex?] I should think such terms are self evident. The penalty for betrayal is death. [The penalty for just about everything is death in his mind.]

[holdshisown]

[He's so sad for you that you'd be so used to a place like that that you'd miss it.]

If you'd ever had the misfortune to find yourself a prisoner in Angband you'd know that ludicrous question for what it is. [That is to say an insult to anyone who had, he himself included. And you're hardly going to get lobotomized.]

[That eyebrow is just going to get raised again at that laughter.] I've been fighting orcs, balrogs, dragons and wargs for centuries and have been the personal prisoner of Morgoth himself. [Just in case you think he'd be somehow impressed by all that.] Believe me things could always be worse. Just be glad you haven't found yourself nailed to a mointan for a couple of decades... I can assure you it's a less than pleasant experience.

[You do that. He'll never turn down free information, but don't expect him to use it as anything but a reference point to why Gadriel is the way he is.] Not necessarily. I don't know you well enough to be able to tell whether you are a reasonable sort or one who'd think offering a suggestion you disagree with to be a betrayal. And I'd much prefer you seek other recourse with the rest of us here before you start lopping heads off of shoulders. [Unless it's literally a life or death thing, in which case he'd probably be on your side about that.]

[thecodexabides]

[He knew the rules back home, and he knew not only how to succeed, but that he had the ability to do so. Not everyone survived the geneseed implantation or training. He had.]

You. Fought orks. [Excuse his Astartes sized DOUBT.] At your size. [What did you do, kneecap them to death?

[He has no idea what those other things are but if you think he's gonna look impressed? Absolutely not. He is, but he will die before he admits it.]

[He is extremely reasonable. And not overemotional at all. ] Many have disagreed with me. I...only tried to kill one. But I was deceived in doing so.

[holdshisown]

Yes? [Then he looks at the other like he'd grown a second head.] Most of them are smaller than I am. Why would my size be a problem? The danger comes from the sheer number of them, not their size. That would be more of a problem with the balrogs, the wargs and the dragons... [He might have cut a few of their legs out from under them, though.

Pfft. Like he needs your approval. He knows he's a formidable warrior and needs no one else to tell him that.]

And you are certain you won't be deceived to act irrationally again? In any case it would be best if you not kill anyone unless they are trying to attack you.

[thecodexabides]

Then what you fought were not Orks. [Unless you were murdering Ork babies, which...Gadriel would have zero moral problems with, just saying. It's just not a flex.] The ones we face are often taller than I.

[He's safely switching back to 'not impressed'.] Next you will tell me that your dragons are the size of rippers.

[Ouch. Ouch. Triple ouch, even. Just stab him in the face next time as that would hurt less than prodding right into his insecurity.
Do not mind the two to three minutes it might take to get his face back in order. He is trying to keep you an ally but this talk makes it difficult. ]

I shall kill anyone who tries to harm me. [Which is basically saying he will have to be attacked first, but after that all bets are off, pointy. ] What of pskers though? Their attacks are cunning and often invisible.

[holdshisown]

Yes. They were. Do you forget we come from different world? [He would never! How dare you impugne his honor in that manner. Maedhros may be a murderer but he's never turned his blade towards any kind of babe. Not even an orc's. And how tall is Gadriel, for that matter? Because Maedhros is almost eigth feet tall!] A Balrog would be taller than that. About twice my height, at the very least.

[With the most deadpan look he gives the man his own unimpressed awnser.] The biggest I ever saw crushed an entire mountain whith it's bulk when it died.

[Hey, he's just asking! It's not like he hasn't had his own failures in life...]

I doubt anyone here would try. [And he's just fine with that. He's not going to ask Gadriel to put his life in danger in that way.] ...I have no idea what those even are?

[thecodexabides]

[ooc:Welcome to the amazing whatever-the-author-decides spackle of Warhammer canon--Primaris Astartes can range from 8 to 10 feet, depending who you ask. Gadriel's average so say...9 feet, and in armor which does have a good lift in the boots so we'll say what? a head taller?]

Then why are they called the same if they are not the same. [Logic. How would two entirely different worlds have the same exact name for an enemy? It cannot be coincidence! And it's FIIIIIINE to murder babies. Especially xenos babies.]

Are you sure it was a dragon and not a Gargant? [Something that big was either a Titan and thus one of the good guys (like Gadriel, ofc) or the warped sick joke of an Ork version.]

I welcome anyone to try. [Seriously, he would. ] A psyker is [Throne, how do you even explain this?] a user of magic and sorcery. I was convinced by a sorcerer, through our astropath, that my Lieutenant was a heretic. [And that's why we don't like magic! ]

[holdshisown]

[ooc: It'll be interesting for Maedhros to be the short one for once, then.]

How should I know? It's not like anyone asked for my input when it came to naming them either in my own world or your's. [Not that he'd even want to be involved in naming the orcs, but still...

It's absolutely not fine to murder babies. ANY babies. This is a sore point for him so Gadriel better never say anything like that were Maedhros can hear him or things wont end well.]

Yes I'm sure. For we don't have any... Gargant's, whatever those are where I'm from. It was a massive winged and fire-breathing dragon. [Which was the worst kind of dragon, really.]

Well they wont. Because the people here don't really go around attacking eachother as a rule. [And he'd like it to stay that way.] Well, there are magic users here but they don't really tend to cause any problems either. [Look, magic is fine as long as you don't use it for evil purposes. Or dabble in necromancy. Because in that case it's a rather obvious sign of evil.]

[thecodexabides]

[The short and skinny one. Don't forget that. ]

The answer is in front of you. Chaos. Why else would it leak the same evil into two separate worlds? [Get with the program! The answer is always heresy. Or Chaos. Or Chaos induced heresy. ]

Oh. That is a Heldrake. [ This is so frustrating with so many things the same but then this is called something different. This is why the Codex Astartes explicitly recommends common language. ] They are formidable indeed.

They don't 'tend' to cause problems. [Side eye.] That implies that sometimes, they do. [And he'll be there, huge and suspicious. Just waiting.]

[holdshisown]

[He's always been the deceptively skinny one. But that's all wiry muscles and pure determination, so don't go about underestimating him now. He didn't need to be geneticaly modified to become a certified bad-ass.]

Or the Music of both our world follow similar themes. Including the discord woven into it. [He's with you that far. The heresy thing just sounds wierd, though.]

We call them dragons. Are those of your world also evil spirits taking physical form, then? [No. You leave his people's beautiful language alone you barbarian. Human languages always sound so... simplistic. He doesn't like it.] That they are. During the Dagor Bragollach most of my kin lost their lands to their fire. Those were truly terrible times.

Not here. On my own world... I don't think anyone would call Sauron anything but a problem. But thankfully there's a blessed lack of his horrid prescence here- I'd have known him by his stench otherwise, even if he'd bothered hiding. [Foul, evil, necromancing bastard that he is.] But the people here have caused no problem. [So you leave them alone or he'll take to following you around to make sure you don't cause trouble.]

[thecodexabides]

[Counterpoint: OR Maedhros is not loved enough by his Primarch and the God Emperor like Gadriel is to be given their geneseed. ]

You seem...inured to discord in your world. Are you content to let evil go unchallenged, then? [Because anything less than Eternal Crusade against evil is not good enough. ]

Heldrakes are possessed by daemonic entities from the Warp. [So, yes. Pretty evil. ] They do considerable damage, especially when deployed on civilian populations.

[He might consider sliding an airtag in Gadriel's armor while he isn't looking because it just might be easier.] None. [This is his 'unconvinced' face.] There can be no magic without the possible taint of evil.

[holdshisown]

[He don't need that kind of love. He had a mother that was pretty awsome and loved him a whole lot instead and a father that... was kind of insane but also loved him, probably...]

Would I have spent close to a millenia fighting the source of Darkness in my world if I were content to let it go unchallanged? [Cut him some slack! He's an old man that's seen enough shit that it no longer surprises him, that's all.]

...Damned fallen spirits always meddling were they don't belong. [He mutters to himself.] I know. They did besiege me for some time before I managed to drive them away but I lost two cousins to them and my brothers had to flee their land but they lost many people in that retreat...

[With how keen both his eyes and his ears are, not to mention his fine tuned sense of big brotherly intuition, he'll do fine enough without it. He might start to pop up often enough around Gadriel to instill some paranoia in him.] In your world. [How often will this human make him repeat that? And he kind of wonders how he'd view a Song of Power if he's this paranoid about it? Better not mention it, just in case.]

[thecodexabides]

[Loving mother? Gadriel can't relate. ]

You make it sound as though you fight alone. [He is here to tell you that an entire chapter of brothers is preferable. ]

We took one down with assistance from our Dreadnought. It was that formidable. [Okay Gadriel was mostly moral support while Valtus did all the work but still. Teamwork. ] I can only imagine what it would do to mortals.
[Oh, wait. ] I am sorry for your loss. [He lost most of his squad recently and that...is not an emotion he is currently enjoying.]

[Gadriel has enough paranoia of his own, thanks. ] If my world were irrelevant, they would not have brought me here, would they? [He has no idea, he's just throwing the Astartes version of spaghetti (probably nutrient goo) at a wall and seeing what sticks.]

[holdshisown]

[Sucks to be him. Having a mom is pretty awsome, especially if that mom is Nerdanel the Wise.]

I did not. My people were besieged with me and were no more keen than I was to let the enemy take Himring as his own or raise it to the ground if that was his wont. [But it wasn't his people the orcs that had come with the dragons had run from in sheer terror, it was him.]

Dragons are hardy creatures. Their scales are almost impenetrable and their fire makes them formidable enemies. All I managed was to drive them of my land to run back to their master in Angband. [But that was a feat all in itself. Dragons didn't tend to retreat.] Are you not a mortal? You are human are you not? [Last he checked it was elves that were the immortal ones, not humans...]
...Thank you. They were good people Angrod and Aegnor. Steadfast and true to the last. [But he'll remember them first and foremost as his little cousins that he'd seen grown from babes to men. Just like he remembered every cousin and brother he'd lost, being so much older than most of them.]

[Then don't make trouble and give him a reason to mess with you.] Who knows? The leaders here are not all that forthcomming with information. Might just be your skills they are after. [Sounds messy.]

[thecodexabides]

[Stop rubbing in your Healthy Family Dynamic here. Gadriel has two daddies and one of them is entirely alive somewhere and the other is like...10% alive? ]

Your people? [Like your family? That sounds like a terrible idea.] I cannot think of that as a tactical advantage.

[You see, you could have used a Dreadnought. He'd have taken care of your Heldrake problem. ] Blunt force and heavy bolters work best against that kind. What caliber were you using? [He can offer advice!]

I. Uh. [Yeah that's a hard question to answer.] Unless I fall in battle, I cannot die. The oldest of my kind is ten thousand years old. [Sure it was a Blood Raven but they were loyalists so they were all right. And sure Bjorn the Fell Handed was basically a corpse piloting a huge metal box, but isn't that just how life is sometimes? ]

[Primaris nutrient goo is not only messy but probably terrible tasting. Nobody raves about the shipboard food on a battle barge. ] If that were so, why did they take them from me. [Uh oh he's mad again.]

[holdshisown]

[His mom is pretty much the only healthy part of his family, honestly. So it's not all that great for him either...]

I am a lord of my people, a prince if you want to get technical about it. [But no one really tends to adress him like that anymore.] That makes those who fight under me my people and my responsibility.

[Probably, but since he did not have one he'd just had to make do. He doubts Gadriel would have been able to get a bunch of orcs and dragonss to run away from him if he'd found himself without one.] Swords, arrows and spears. [See? He had to fight these kinds of things on hard mode and he'd still managed to keep alive for a millenia or so.]

[Now he just feels sorry for you... and like he should make you some real food.] Has it perhaps occured to you that they may be less than competent. I sort of get the feeling they are not as in control as they want us to believe. Or they might just be screwing with us. [You need to learn to save all that rage for when it's needed. Like him. He pushes that shit down and keeps it bottled up until it explodes in the most terrifying of ways.]

[thecodexabides]

You're a primarch?! [Excuse him but this is a bit much to take in. He's been talking to a primarch all this time? Should he...what? Should he bow? Should he kneel? He's going to split the difference and probably look for a moment like he's going to fall over. Close enough!

[Because it would explain many of the things the other has said. Hinting at being immensely powerful--he was just being modest. It all makes sense now.] I. I apologize, my lord. I did not know. [Never mind that it's because you didn't tell him.]

[Gadriel has plenty of rage to go around. Don't worry there won't be a shortage any time soon. ] So they brought us here for no purpose and torment us by making us play silly games. [See? Still plenty mad at that. Uh. Sir. My lord. ]

[holdshisown]

Is that what you call your lords and princes? [Please don't bow, or kneel... or fall over.] My family is decendent from Finwe, my grandfather, that led our people into the Blessed Realm and for whose murder we again left them to go to war.

[What? No, seriously... what? What's wrong with the human now?] There is no reason to apologize. I'm not so easily needled as to take offence at what is at most a heated conversation. And, please, Maedhros is a good enough name for me. You need not adress me by my title. [Titles can be useful, but so can forgoing them be.]

I don't know. The information in this place is just too scarce to say for sure and beings like these can be... strange in both their ways and motivations. [And it does seem like a lot of information has been deliberatly removed from places you'd be most likely to find it. Like books and such things.] But I don't trust them to have our best interest at heart.

[thecodexabides]

There is the Emperor and then the Primarchs. [And a bunch of ministratum ranks but those were filthy civilians and thus didn't matter. They could call themselves what they liked but the Adeptus Astartes did not have to honor them. But someone who had 1 v 1'd a heldrake? That was no petty civilian. ] My lord.

[Yeah sorry, Primarch Maedhros, sir, you're stuck now. The Codex is not clear on what to do with meeting foreign primarchs, but it is pretty clear in the necessity of rank and forms of address. ]

Or. [You know what he's going to say, just accept it at this point.] The forces of Chaos that control them are variable and changing. We could perhaps exploit that.

[holdshisown]

So the Emperor would be like our High King, then... and the Primarchs would be lords and princes. [Learning about other civilizations and people had always interested him.

[Damn. He did not give up the crown to get stuck with some other lofty title...]

[Maedhros actually gives this some thought. Things here do seem to be in some kind of flux... he doubts it is the Chaos of this mans world but the theory does not need to be wholly wrong for that.] That is a possibility also, I'll admit.

[thecodexabides]

If your High King is the father of the Primarchs, yes. [That's what made them special, and then each Space Marine faction was fathered by their Primarch and it starts to sound weirdly incestuous after a while so....]

We just need to figure out which Chaos god is ascendant. [He heard your maybe as an enthusiastic yes. He will figure this out. ] Are there people here who crave the pleasures of the flesh? Or embrace pestilence and disease? [Or maybe both? Maybe there's a Nurgle/Slaanesh combo platter here. ]