Heart of The Haven [Open/EarthWings Only]

Beloved sister of mine,

I cannot bestow you my coordinates or location, but I am well... There is not much to occupy myself with ever since the fall of my tribe. Several times I have grown ill and only a cold, harsh ground was there for my little comfort. But, my body has grown numb to these viruses and I now render stronger. When my father died in the fall, all I will say is that my heart had shattered. I've become a healer and a architech, and one with the herbs. I am not particularly the best amongst... others around Pyyria, but it does cover up some lacerations. Years it has come to be ever since I have set eyes upon your scales. - How dearly I miss you! I know one day, when I am stronger, we will see each other again. But, our kin will meet only in business and blood. Alas, I must go. Until the next letter, my beloved little sister.

And with that, Rahnma removed his ink-stained talon from the scroll and rolled it up, tossing it with the other letters  on the shelves that would never be sent. The brute stood from his writing space and walked towards the exit of his chambers until the head of his peer popped through. "Rahnma, there are some rowdy hatchlings who got hurt playing near the chambers where the architects were repairing some walls. Could you take a look at them?" Said she. Rahnma stared and smiled, nodding and was escorted to the rather tearful children, two at the most. They were both youthful boys who were blaming each other for the incident. Rahnma sighed and chuckled softly, with eyes strictly fixed onto the children.

"Are we going to die, Rahnma?" Said the smaller one.

"I don't want to die!" Said the other.

"Fret not, young ones. It's just a cut and a bruise. It'll take a lot more than some sharp rocks to wipe us out, heh." He leaned down as his medical herbs were brought to him, grabbing a pawfull of herbs and crushing them together until they were crumbs, rubbing them on both of the hatchling's wounds. "It's going to sting, boys. Be strong, okay?" He smiled with assurance.

"Owwie!" Said the smaller one.

"It... doesn't hurt! Ow, ow!" Said the other, almost in tears.

But in a matter of moments, the wounds grew numb and stopped bleeding. Rahnma smiled and began to put the extra crumbs into a jar for future use. "Good boys. It's all better now, give it a day and you'll be running as fast as you used to." The boys wiped their tears and nodded, as Rahnma dismissed himself to the main halls where most of the EarthWings roamed about to get to special chambers. But the place was so packed, he was bound to bump into someone! He could not wait until Erde was built. He was actually wanting to help design it. But, patience.

Rii had been asked for some herbs to treat a few cuts and bruises on some hatchlings. Quickly she had put together some goldenrod and ergot to give to whomever was asking for it. Afterwards the woman grew curious as to the hatchlings in question and who was taking care of them. Since she didn't have anyone else to watch, and Rhune was napping, she then decided to go follow the dragon who had taken the herbs from her.

She followed them through the tunnels until they reached a wide atrium. There she hid behind a wall and watched the helper give the herbs to a male dragon who stood before two younger dragons. Once he was finished fixing up their wounds the male sent the other younglings away. Then he started walking down the hall towards her. She abruptly tried to turn around but in a moment of misjudgement she banged her head on the wall and stumbled into the open in front of the other male. Quickly she tried to right herself to look like nothing happened before trying to walk away casually.

Rahnma could only see above the crowd of those who were smaller than he. They would eventually outgrow this Haven. - Or was it today that the main halls were busy? Rahnma did not know, he is often doing one of many things: Creating medicine and treatments, keeping a watchful eye on the king and his kin (More than likely, Evaleen and Vilkas. Always getting into something), or designing things for the Haven. All these things and many more often kept him occupied for days at the least, not often coming through these halls in the morns. He was tugged around here and there, but never did he expect a dragonness to pop out of nowhere from banging her head on a surface. At first flustered, then collecting herself hastily and trying to proceed away when it was obvious she was observing him. Rahnma chuckled and bowed his head.

"Oh dear, you seem to have bumped into something. I've seen you around Baldirak quite often, yet I know not of your name. Would you tell me?" He smiled, patiently, plucking the remnants of crumbs off of his paw with his eyes fixed on her.

The King limped into the Main Chamber of the Haven; he found it a rather painful endeavor today. Having to take his time to get somewhere, Baldirak truly noticed how... snug things were becoming. Of course he had noticed before, it was one of the reasons that a new city was going to be built. But today, he was unusually aware of the overcrowding. Had the tribe really grown so fast? It felt like it. Baldirak was carrying a new rock armor and planned on going to the surface to test its weight in flight. If only he could get there... it wasn't that his subjects weren't trying to make a path for their King, it was just that there was a sense of urgency today. Everyone had somewhere they needed to be.

The stranger had caught her, and it was all Rii could do to keep a highly embarrassed look off of her face as she turned around to face him.

It's really too bad you saw that I'm usually much more agile and knowing of my surroundings than what you had seen. Rii paused gathering herself as another dragon pushed by. She shifted closer to the wall so that others could pass more easily while they chatted. Crowds were never her favorite things in the world.

My name is Rii, vulcan and novice healer for the grande earthwing tribe. I was the one who put together those herbs for your helper to take to you. She answered his original question before looking off into the crowd. The tall figure of the king shuffling through the crowd with everyone else caught her attention before she turned to look back to Rahnma.

...and who is it that I owe the pleasure of this conversation to? Rii asked his name with a warm smile glad to be talking to someone respectful and who spoke with nobility.

Rahnma was rather intrigued by Rii's answer. Her name and business was finally exchanged to him, so he took the liberty to do so as well. Rahnma chuckled wholeheartedly, cleaning his paws and scales off as he listened attentively. "Ah, Rii. Lovely name give to a lovely dragonness, if I may add." He perked his ears with the addition to her inquiry and statements, "Oh! Thank you for that! If not for you, then those poor, but careless children would have had an infection. But I could not tell them that, heh." He scratched his neck anxiously. "But, my sire had named me Rahnma. A pleasure to meet you."

Rahnma finally bowed his head in dismissal as his King passed by with a rather heavy load on him, and followed him to wherever he was headed. "Please cease your hasten, my liege! Heh!" He chuckled out loud and tried to catch up to him through the crowds. He turned to face Rii once more. "Why not accompany me?"

Baldirak heard Rahnma, but he didn't verbally acknowledge the Healer. Instead, he stopped for a moment and turned to look at him; he noticed Rii as well. The King continued on, finally leaving the Main Chamber and flying through the tunnels until he reached one which led to the cave entrance. A Scout stationed there opened the false back for him. Baldirak stepped outside and proceeded to put on the new rock-metal armor. The rock that was used for this was supposed to be stronger than previous models, but also heavier. He wanted to see how much heavier it was and if any adjustments would need to be made. The helmet was the last piece to be put on; he also had tail, leg, and chest pieces as well as wing guards. The Armor Master was also working on a way to protect the stomach.

Baldirak spread his wings. Naturally, the wing guards weren't very heavy, made of metal only instead of a rock-metal combination. After a few timid flaps of his wings, he took to the air. Baldirak hovered for a minute... the armor was a little weighty, but nothing that one couldn't get adjusted to. He climbed higher in the sky and began performing random maneuvers. Many of them were possible, but slower. The King found that the extra weight made dive maneuvers faster but harder to break out of. However, an EarthWing could simply use acid to destroy the armor or parts of it to make it lighter. It occurred to him then that it might be a good idea to try and develop some acid-resistant armor

Rii nodded at the invitation that Rahnma gave her and then hurried along after him as they tried to get to where the king was headed. Her claws tapped on the shiny floors loudly as the bluish dragon female shuffles through the crowd behind the earthen colored male.

Eventually they make it outside in time to witness the king at the end of his testing run. Rii eyeballs the new armor envious of its cut and sheen. The woman had often wondered what armor would look like on her, but she often figured that nothing other than leather would stretch and be flexible enough for her long spaghetti body. One of these days she should make herself some leather armor to keep herself just a little bit more safe when hunting alone.

Baldirak climbed into the sky as high as was possible. He hovered there for a moment in wonder of how thin the air was, how cold. And then he closed his wings and plummeted to the world below. The Earth King sought to test a potential maneuver; diving from great heights while showering the world below in acid. One Dragon alone was simple, but as Baldirak did this, he imagined having several EarthWings behind him.

From such a height and with the armor he wore, he moved fast, the wind was deafening; no orders could be given. As he opened his maw and attacked the ground with acid, it was pushed back into his face and the faces of the EarthWings behind him. They would have to spread out to avoid this, or... He rolled over and exposed his back to the fight below. The acid would face no resistance from the wind this way. Some would still need to be diving instead of falling, to alert the others when it was time to turn around. Potentially dangerous, but doable and effective. Glancing over his shoulder to determine his distance from the ground, Baldirak rolled again. He opened his wings and broke out of the dive, gliding over the tidal wave of acid that washed across the battlefield while more still rained down. Those who breathed rock would be useful here as well...

The King spotted Rahnma and Rii. He circled around and landed in front of them. "Good morning. What brings you two out here?"

Rahnma arrived to the land above the Haven, watching his liege glide and hover above them with the new armor. He was rather impressed at the vulcans this generation. Despite their demise, the EarthWings had excelled in their previous skills when they were thriving above. Vulcanwork, healing and medicine, strength and defense, and maintaining resources. Rahnma had not seen beyond those trees in long times but he had a belief that they were possibly the best in those fields in all of Pyyria.

The day of reclaiming the lost territory would come nearer and nearer, though the politics and confrontations would soon follow their glory, only to be satisfied in blood and business.

Rahnma worried not, for he believed after years of progress, the EarthWings were ready for any challenge. He imagined the EarthWings having another festival, peaceably assembling for the sake of fun and for the great Kelarth's good fortune. His kin and he feasting on the native animals to their hunting grounds, inviting guests over to celebrate the mystery of life and what great fortunes they've been given.

The thought made him smile before it was peacefully interrupted by the landing of his liege. He dipped his head in silence and raised to open his maw. "Greetings, Baldirak. I had finished my morning tasks and thought follow you up here for your test and some fresh air. I invited Rii, a new friend and peer, to accompany me. How is the armor?"

Rhune yawned as he woke up from his nap. He was feeling rather fit today, after two meals and their respective naps. He green dragon stood up, quickly stretching his legs. Rii was nowhere to be seen, she probably went to search for herbs. Well in any case, Rhune was up for a walk.
The Haven was really crowded today. He walked among the crowd, not having any real objective. He just looked around, looking at the architecture, looking at the dragons, looking at everything really. Rhune was really new to all that dragon business, and anything new was making him curious. Though today there were too many dragons for him to look at anything without bumping in someone. After the fourth time, he decided to walk somewhere else.
Just as he had this idea he arrived near a passage that no one was in. Rhune went that way, soon finding out it was leading to the outside. The sun was shining really bright today. It took a minute for the green dragon to get adjusted to the sunlight before being able to proceed any further. After living for so long without knowing what sunlight was, his eyes had a lot of trouble adjusting to such a luminosity. After a few more steps he realized a few dragons were already there. Rii, in particular, another dragon he didn't know, looking at... Was that Baldirak? He seemed to have something stuck on him.
"Oh, erm, hello." he greeted the two dragons, even though he had already seen Rii earlier that day.
The green dragon sat, watching Baldirak making stunning aerial maneuver. The look he had on his face was saying it all : Rhune was envious. Envious at the idea to fly. The tip of his wings occasionally twitched, as if the young dragon was trying to imagine himself soaring through the skies making the same movements as Baldirak.
Once the King landed, Rhune blinked, trying to get back to reality.
"Hi Baldirak!" he greeted the King.
Nobility and showing respect to leaders was something Rhune was having a hard time with, as he was greeted Baldirak almost the same way he was greeting Rii or anyone else. Luckily for him the King wasn't seeming to mind too much about that.

Baldirak was about to answer Rahnma when he saw Rhune make his way over. He smiled at the smaller EarthWing and almost immediately began inspecting his wings. "Getting stronger, Rhune. How are you this morning? And Rahnma... the armor is a work in progress. I find it would be useful for dive maneuvers and tactics. It adds weight, speed. It has a weigh to it that smaller EarthWings would find a bit much. But we can always configure the armor to fit each individual's carrying capacity. Also, we should find a way to make the metal resistant to our acid. This model allows for us to melt away the rock portion of the armor to make it less heavy. But the metal portions needs to remain so the wearer may keep some protection."

Rii watched as the intimidating dragon with a scarred leg flew through the air with the new armor covering his body. He was elegant and handsome, despite the old injury and his bulkiness. Rii dipped her head in a bow as the king then landed before them asking why they had shown up. She opened her own jaws to answer but Rahnma beat her to it. Closing her mouth and listening the woman waited for Rahnma to finish. Once he had quieted she opened her maw to speak again but yet another interruption kept Rii from greeting the king properly. Her blue gaze flicked to Rhune, who was up and out walking around despite her orders for him to stay near the healing area where someone would be able to help him should he need it. Sighing she then waited until both Rhune and the king finished speaking. Then she finally came forward and smiled to the king.

It is good to see you this day. As Rahnma says I simply bumped into him in the hall and then followed along. All after finishing up my chores of course. Rii finally got her own words out then looked away embarrassed that she had not been able to speak for herself for so long. It now felt awkward restating what she had been doing there.

As for the armor. It can be made more acid resistant by using pure metals like copper, nickel, aluminum, and lead. To increase the effectiveness of these metals though we would have to wrought and cast these into high alloy steels. The only problem then is that whatever rocks we have attached to the armor would erode faster than your steel portions if doused in acid. Rii explained as she thought about which rocks and minerals she had seen fare better in the acidic rains that came from the volcanic clouds of certain areas. The rains were a lot like an earthwings acid, but diluted a great amount so it took many years for the acid rain to erode the rock. However because it was acid rain and not regular rain the rock still eroded at a faster rate than if plain old rain was battering upon it.

The King's pale gaze shifted to the serpentine female when she finally spoke. He noticed the embarrassment in her eyes at her greeting and then she looked away. In moments she was speaking again, this time in response to his remarks about the armor. Baldirak listened as she explained how to make the armor acid resistant and the consequences of it. "What happens to the rock in this model is of no concern, as it is meant to be melted away if the wearer wishes. But it is something to keep in mind with the other models. Hm.We should also find rocks that can withstand acid, then, not for this particular armor, but others. Something tells me you might know of some, Rii?".

Rhune had a smile as Baldirak commented about his wings getting stronger. It was right, the training from Rii and the one from Baldirak himself (well, now Vilkas) was getting results. It wouldn't be long until he would actually be strong enough to start flying.
"I'm fine." he replied to the older dragon before the discussion started again.
Rhune felt a bit uncomfortable as Rii glared at him. It took the green dragon a few seconds to remember he had been instructed to stay in the healer's den after his morning training. Whoops. Guess he forgot that part after his nap... The green dragon tried to understand what was going on during this discussion, but not only he was missing a few words, but also a few concepts. Why would anyone need to strap something so heavy on them when they already had their scales? And Rii was going technical again, like when she was talking about plants. Lead? Copper ? Nickel ? What were those? This discussion wasn't really teaching him anything.

Rii glances to Baldirak as he comments on how the rocks were meant to melt away anyway if one should so choose to want to fly lighter. She could understand that since speed was also necessary when fleeing or fighting.

Well there's a few rocks and minerals you could use that are acid resistant. What are the kinds we have on there now? Rii asks while trying to look a little more closely at Baldi's armor.

"Granite and iron," he replied as he began removing the armor. He first removed the helmet, then the wing guards and chest plate. "What can we use instead?" Baldirak took off the tail armor but left the leg pieces on as he limped over to the rocky outcrop. There were some metal claws he had left. He put them on and sharpened the tips on a rock.

Rii nods as she lays a claw against the stones on the armor looking over them with a keen eye. She should have known it was granite. The way it was worked and put into the armor though almost made the rock look like a different kind. Then she glanced to the king and put her claw back on her chin thinking of what rocks she had seen around the volcanoes and their acid rain clouds that had fared well.

While crystal quartz is highly resistant to acid erosion it is also somewhat resistant to heat compared to glass. If the armor is meant to melt away if needed then I would suggest using clear or black glass. The black glass called obsidian is often found around and near volcanoes. I even have a large chunk of it in my horde from when I last visited the lava fields. Rii said quickly then stepped back to give the king room again.

Titanium for the metal pieces of the armor along with glass for the rock portion would be the best for dragon who want the ability to travel light too, since glass is lighter than quartz and easier to melt away with fire. She finished hoping that her explanation was a little easier to understand the second time around. Rii had large pieces of quartz and obsidian as well as a number of the metals she had mentioned all in her horde. Some of the pieces had been moved to her den here in the earthwings, but there were a few larger minerals that were still in her hidden place in the rogue lands. She would have to get out at some point and retrieve those. Though Rii did not want to make this venture alone. Not with the possibility of nightwings still trying to takeover rogue lands.

Baldirak paused in his sharpening of the metal claws to listen. He considered what she suggested and well it would work. "Hm, the obsidian would work well for this armor, then. If you know where to find it in large quantities, then by all means... We will need a lot of it. Now as for the crystal quartz... That can be used for an acid resistant armor I mentioned earlier." When Baldirak was status with the sharpness of the claws, he took to the air again. He circled around and flew low so he was level with the outcrop. His maw opened to shoot a ball of acid at a large rock. He then barrel rolled to the right and shot another ball of acid before banking to the left and swiping at the rock with the metal claws. Sparks danced around as he did this, a few bouncing off his scales. Baldirak landed again and sat, looking at the rock. His gaze, however, suggested that the rock wasn't a rock, but rather an enemy. There was some sympathy in his pale eyes. Adding to this illusion, the King appeared to mutter something quietly before standing and swiping again at the rock with his right paw. It broke into four pieces, having been weakened by the acid. "There is much work to be done today. Let us waste no more time here.." The King gathered the pieces or armor he's taken off and made his way back to the Haven.

Rahnma listened to the two converse attentively, with a rather flustered countenance. He smiled and continued to listen, but soon becoming distracted by the sight of freshly grown herbs near the trees of the borders of the small territory they had. Investigating them from afar and taking out his Medicinal Journal from the items tucked away in his satchel underneath his wing. As he opened it up to the most recent page, he plucked his talon from his paw and dabbed it in the tiny amount of ink he had brought with him and started scratching words upon the rough surface. As he was writing, he glanced at only the herbs and the journal but spoke to his superior. "You all fluster me with vulcanwork. It was never my thing. However, sire, ever consider creating plantations for specific medicinal herbs? I'm taking sight of the rare growth of crucial herbs right over there by the trees. We could harvest it's reproductive seeds and mass-produce them. But might I add that after we announce our existence to the fellow tribes, these sort of items will be highly demanded in the regulation of trade?" Rahnma spoke excitedly. He ended up drifting into an entire different subject as opposed to vulcanwork.

"Tis the time of our pinnacle to start producing more of the things we have excelled in. It was required by your predecessor that all EarthWings, authorities and citizens alike, to have some experience in the field of combat, medicine and self-treatment, and vulcanwork. By far one of the most brilliant ways of becoming a self-productive, rising tribe. With skills shared with our peers and kin, mass producing anything from plants to armor will be with ease. We have all the tools and materials to do so here." He snapped the two halves of his journal together, tucking it away into his satchel, quickly harvesting the herb, and following his liege back towards The Haven.

Rhune followed Baldirak with his eyes as the older dragon went in another series of aerial figures. Flying... Once again he got lost in his thoughts, imagining himself gliding with the wind and getting higher than he ever was... Once the leader landed and instructed everyone to get back inside, he glanced once again at the sky. Soon, soon enough this dream of his would come true. For the moment he would just try to learn more things, even if the current discussion was a bit too technical for him to grasp. Rahnma brought it back to a level he could understand though.

I agree with Rahnma there. Rii nods after the Rahnma speaks about herbs and being able to raise their own rare ones. She spied Rhune watching them intently, though she can't tell if he understood everything or not. Then she nods to the king as he begins heading back into the tunnels. The long female trailing after Rahnma and Baldi wondering what else she could help with. She looked back once to see if Rhune was coming too.

The King chuckled when Rahnma started talking. "Rahnma, if you wanted to be an Advisor, you should have asked. If the herbs are crucial to you Healers, then grow them. However, they will need to be grown in the Haven, or else somewhere one wouldn't notice a sudden surplus of rare herbs. As for trade.. we can deal with it when the time comes. Then Baldirak sighed and stopped, turning to look at the Healer. "Don't lecture me on what we must do to be an efficient Tribe. It is, you are aware, still a requirement of all to have knowledge in combat and medicine. Vulcanry is a more... precise skill, something not everyone can grasp. Well, if we are ever short a Vulcan, I can always help. And forgive me for snapping at you." Baldirak turned and continued on, reaching the cave and going inside.

O.o

Rii followed their king inside without a word of argument. While she thought it a good idea to grow more of the rare herbs as Rahnma had suggested, she understood why they had to somehow be grown inside. More to hide the tribe, than for the ease of access. Like Rahnma though she knew that inside certain plants would not grow despite their best efforts to make them do so. So in a way she supported both Rahnma's want to grow herbs outside and Baldirak's want to keep them inside and hidden. She just couldn't figure out a way to make either possible for now.