Fortune favours the -bold (Closed, ATTN Dornie)

[Dyste]

Dyste had a long-standing friendship with Riemaia - the king being a family friend of the Imperial Family for generations. It was thanks to this at they learned about the Colonial Republic, a place known for their research into Artificial Intelligence, or ‘AI’, as well as other technological breakthroughs. As Dyste’s own developments in those fields were lacking, it seemed a great opportunity to make a new ally, not to mention they usually tried to have good relations with as many foreign nations as possible. As such, the king invited Gracie Kurimitsu, CEO of Lady Gracie's Import-Export Industries, to visit their land.

Undellah Skyways
Monarchy of Dyste

The Skyways was Dyste’s all-purpose port for any type of aircraft, from airships to planes to jets to even spaceships. The walls were made of a magically reinforced glass, allowing easy viewing of the incoming aircraft.

At the meeting place, Gracie would be meeted by no less than the King of Dyste, Tyroth Blackfang himself. Even with his black-and-gold scale pattern being shared amongst his family, his massive frame, bulky and muscular, albeit somewhat overweight, made him stand out even among them. He was accompanied, as always, by his loyal kobold staff. The two-and-a-half feet scaled beings looked positively tiny compared to their king, but they were not frightened of him at all; on the contrary, they seemed to enjoy the company of the massive monarch.

The king was also accompanied by two of his bodyguards, but for the most part it was just a formality; either way, anyone who knew of his past exploits knew he could easily defend himself very easily. Both of the two were a fair bit shorter the the king, though taller than a human, and both were in armor; one in a mostly gold full plate, the other in a black armor with pieces of an enchanted wood seemingly holding some of the joints together. The latter stood perfectly still, not moving or speaking. The one in gold, however, swayed a bit, before speaking up, “My liege, are you sure you wish to meet our guest here personally? You could always do so in the audience chamber back at the castle…”

“Lissah, do you think I do not wish to greet our guest personally?” The king seemed a little insulted by the idea of not doing so. “I always like to greet foreign dignitaries visiting our lands, regardless of the circumstances. Besides, I want to make sure our Head of Technological Research does not scare off our guest…”

“OY!” Sticking out his head from behind the black-armored bodyguard was a red-haired human with a brown coat and goggles, “What’dya mean by that, Your Majesty? Just ‘cause I’m interested in seeing what sort of things these people have doesn’t mean I’m gonna disrupt a diplomatic meetin’! And do you need ta have the lil’ buggers here tailing me like this?”

The kobolds tilted their head at this, “Buggerbolds?” Thinking about it a bit, the kobolds pouted, with one of them kicking the human in the shin, “OW! Okay, okay, sorry an’ all that!” The little reptilians surrounded Tyroth with their muzzles pointed at them, which he proceeded to rub, some of them sneezing as a result. “Goodbolds?”

“Yes, goodbolds,” the king replied, one of them offering him a sandwich to eat while waiting for their guest to arrive. The little ones were mainly there to aid their king, but little did they know that they might be the ones to have the most to gain from this visit...

[New Dornalia]

The Song For Going Fast

The sight which would greet Tyroth was a spaceship flying in, respecting the bounds of the Skyways. The aircraft had short, triangular wings attached to a somewhat utilitarian body, with an angular canopy. The ship was a glossy black, with gold racing stripes. On its rear side, the stripes would form into a circle, with a peculiar logo in the the circle. The circle was a lightning bolt, with three letters around the lightning bolt--T, C, and B. To clarify the mysterious nature of the symbol, in cursive stencil on the front near the canopy, would be the declaration "Takin' Care of Business--in a flash!" The civil registration number, NEZ888, was visible.

The spaceship would land like a helicopter, coming down to a gentle stop at the meeting place where all the diplomacy would happen. Well, the initial phases anyway. Airports weren't known for comfort.

The rear hatch would open, forming a ramp. Coming down the ramp was a young Hylian-looking woman in a skirt suit, with aviator sunglasses that harkened back to the days when men first began to fly across the skies. She had brilliant red hair, and was flanked by a giant of a man with a business suit and one of those earbud things bodyguards have. The woman herself had a suitcase in her hand, and a gift box in the other.

The woman took in the lay of the land in front of her. In front of her as the King of Dyste and his retinue. The woman remembered her Dystean knowledge, gleaned from reading those books she bought during a layover in Detroit to get her Pelican gassed up. Frequent flights had a way of eating fuel, and when your ship took the interstellar equivalent of premium gas, it wasn't cheap. Ever since the Riemaians set up shop at GM, lots of Hylian-language literature could be found in the Motor City, and there was some of it involving how to behave in lands known to the Hylians. One of them was Dyste.

Nodding, the woman thought to herself, "I can do this. Just lay off the schmooze, you'll be fine. Firm handshake, Japanese Bow. Smile. There we go."

The woman walked forward to greet the King, and his retainers--and took off her sunglasses. Putting them into a case in her pocket, the woman did a polite bow, and extended her hand out with a smile.

"Gracie Kurimitsu, CEO of Lady Gracie's Import-Export Enterprise of Van Nuys, California and Sevastopol, Ravenstenskian Crimea. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty."

She then gestured to the man next to her, and went, "That guy over there? He's Arkady Sergeyvich Fandorin. Pilot, bodyguard, all around handyperson. Man of few words." With a "come on down" gesture, Arkady came down, and did his own polite bow and handshake combo, with a simple, "Pleasure to meet you, your majesty."

Gracie then inquired, her tone smoothing out to a much less stiff and more friendlier tone, "Now, I've heard of you, Your Majesty, and it's an honor to see you in person. But, I don't think I'm quite familiar with the rest of your retinue." As she said that, she looked the retinue over, noticing the kobolds which seemed glad to be here.

[Dyste]

When the spaceship appeared, the Dystans looked with varying degrees of wonder and awe. Only the black-armored knight showed no interest whatsoever. By contrast, the human seemed the most enthralled by the sight. He had seen spaceships before, even been taught on making some basic models, but this one was unlike any he had seen before. He walked towards where it would land, though the kobolds tailing him grabbed his arms and pulled him back.

After Gracie descended and introduced herself, Tyroth grinned; Dyste actually did not use handshakes for greetings typically (as the varying sizes of the speces made it at times impractical), but he was familiar enough to return the offer, albeit having to bend over to do so. "Well, Gracie, I am glad you managed to arrive safely! I am Tyroth Blackfang, King of Dyste... but you knew that already." He also shook Arkady's hand, this time not needed to bend over, "And welcome to you as well, Arkady. I do hope you both enjoy your time here."

"The two by my side are my own trusted bodyguards, Lissah Bonecrusher and Buckler, or 'Bucky' as I call him..." He glanced over behind him, "You know, there is no need to keep your helmet on... No, I do not mean YOU, Bucky! Helm back on!" He said after noticing the black armored guard taking off its helmet; it was only for a moment, but based on what Gracie could see, there was no head underneath it. "My apologies, Bucky can sometimes misinterpret commands. He is... not exactly your average bodyguard, you see."

The gold-armored knight, removed their helm, revealing an Orc woman with short black hair underneath. Lissah was only a few inches taller than Arkady, with Bucky being about a head taller (when he had it on, at least...) "And before you ask, yes, that is really my last name. And while it makes for a good adventurer's name, I do prefer Lissah." That wasn't her original first name, though she had, by this point, legally changed to it that.

Tyroth patted his longtime friend and adventuring partner on the shoulder, "Anyways, the human is our Head of Research & Development, James Tinker... hm, where did he go?" Glancing to the side, he saw James inspecting the spaceship. Before he could continue, several of the kobolds suddenly rushed him and pinned him down, before dragging him back. "And the little ones are my trusty staff. Would you care to introduce yourselves?"

Taking the cue, the kobolds walked forward, "Kobold!" "Namebold!" "Greetingsbold!" "Welcomebold!", and the like. The last one, who had a scale pattern nearly identical to the king, was the only one who seemed to say more than one word, "Hello, I am Tarka. Sometimes Minityroth. Depend how you feel. Welcome to Dyste." Regardless, all of them then looked towards Tyroth, their muzzles pointed.

"GHAHAHA! You can tell how eager they were to do their own intro," Tyroth said, leaning down to rub each of their muzzles. "Anyways, shall we be on our way?" He gestured to the craft behind him, a massive black-and-gold airship, which had not technically landed, but was rather floating slightly above the ground, a small ramp leading into the lounge. "It is my home away from home, so to say. That and my various vacation homes, GHAHAHA!"

[New Dornalia]

When the spaceship appeared, the Dystans looked with varying degrees of wonder and awe. Only the black-armored knight showed no interest whatsoever. By contrast, the human seemed the most enthralled by the sight. He had seen spaceships before, even been taught on making some basic models, but this one was unlike any he had seen before. He walked towards where it would land, though the kobolds tailing him grabbed his arms and pulled him back.

After Gracie descended and introduced herself, Tyroth grinned; Dyste actually did not use handshakes for greetings typically (as the varying sizes of the speces made it at times impractical), but he was familiar enough to return the offer, albeit having to bend over to do so. "Well, Gracie, I am glad you managed to arrive safely! I am Tyroth Blackfang, King of Dyste... but you knew that already." He also shook Arkady's hand, this time not needed to bend over, "And welcome to you as well, Arkady. I do hope you both enjoy your time here."

"The two by my side are my own trusted bodyguards, Lissah Bonecrusher and Buckler, or 'Bucky' as I call him..." He glanced over behind him, "You know, there is no need to keep your helmet on... No, I do not mean YOU, Bucky! Helm back on!" He said after noticing the black armored guard taking off its helmet; it was only for a moment, but based on what Gracie could see, there was no head underneath it. "My apologies, Bucky can sometimes misinterpret commands. He is... not exactly your average bodyguard, you see."

The gold-armored knight, removed their helm, revealing an Orc woman with short black hair underneath. Lissah was only a few inches taller than Arkady, with Bucky being about a head taller (when he had it on, at least...) "And before you ask, yes, that is really my last name. And while it makes for a good adventurer's name, I do prefer Lissah." That wasn't her original first name, though she had, by this point, legally changed to it that.

Tyroth patted his longtime friend and adventuring partner on the shoulder, "Anyways, the human is our Head of Research & Development, James Tinker... hm, where did he go?" Glancing to the side, he saw James inspecting the spaceship. Before he could continue, several of the kobolds suddenly rushed him and pinned him down, before dragging him back. "And the little ones are my trusty staff. Would you care to introduce yourselves?"

Taking the cue, the kobolds walked forward, "Kobold!" "Namebold!" "Greetingsbold!" "Welcomebold!", and the like. The last one, who had a scale pattern nearly identical to the king, was the only one who seemed to say more than one word, "Hello, I am Tarka. Sometimes Minityroth. Depend how you feel. Welcome to Dyste." Regardless, all of them then looked towards Tyroth, their muzzles pointed.

"GHAHAHA! You can tell how eager they were to do their own intro," Tyroth said, leaning down to rub each of their muzzles. "Anyways, shall we be on our way?" He gestured to the craft behind him, a massive black-and-gold airship, which had not technically landed, but was rather floating slightly above the ground, a small ramp leading into the lounge. "It is my home away from home, so to say. That and my various vacation homes, GHAHAHA!"

Gracie loved the reception. Tyroth was a direct individual, and apparently not as formal and stiff as she expected from a monarch. Instead, she found a large, even jovial draconid who was glad to host guests, particularly in a large airship which made her Pelican look like a simple commuter car by comparison. Gracie said, beaming at the scenes in front of her, “I’d be honored, Your Majesty” as she and Arkady followed the retinue into the airship. Gracie was taking in the sights, and frankly feeling pretty good about this meeting.

Black and Gold was a theme Gracie noticed with Tyroth as she got inside the lounge and sat down, taking in the sights not as a “citizen diplomat” or even in her capacity with the “other government agencies.” No, at this moment, it looked to Arkady like she was a tourist, entering somewhere pretty interesting. The armor, the airship, Lissah and Bucky’s alternate color pairing (her armor gold, Bucky’s black)--perhaps those were the colors of the nation--or perhaps even Tyroth’s dynasty. Gracie figured it made sense. And heck, it looked pretty good from a design standpoint. Also, the fact Tyroth casually mentioned having multiple homes suggested he was a man of wealth, taste, and status.

The retinue and their individual quirks also went over well with Gracie. Oh, there was Bucky and his head--Gracie wondered if he was mechanical or magical--and Lissah’s large frame and her insistence on first-name basis-ness. The both of them definitely looked like capable fighters--Tyroth seemed to be a man of good judgment and they were stout enough to protect the King. Well, more like cover his flanks, since the King seemed to be a stout fighter in his own right. And there, was James, who seemed very interested in her Pelican. No biggie, if negotiations went well, she’d give him plenty of pelicans. Heck, the Pelicans would work nicely here.

But the thing that got Gracie was the kobolds. Now, it is a universal constant that exposure to cute things inevitably provokes a reaction. And with Gracie? Well, she may have been an AI in a Human Replica Droid body, but her heart could be warmed like any other being. And in her case, Gracie found herself grinning warmly when the Kobolds stepped out to greet her in their own way along with Tarka. Gracie also got a kick out of the muzzlerubs. Yes, Gracie objectively noted that was something the kobolds liked. But she’d be damned if she didn’t think that was one of the more adorable things she had seen in her career.

As Gracie entered the lounge, Gracie asked Tyroth, “Your Majesty, I’m glad to be here. “ She then said, moving her gaze from Tyroth, to Lissah, Bucky, James and especially Tarka and the kobolds and then back to Tyroth again, “How can I help you, your staff, and your kingdom today?”

After she said that, Gracie paused, coughed, and then presented her gift box to Tyroth, as Gracie said, “Almost forgot. Don’t want to start business without this. I’d feel weird if I didn’t least offer a gift when discussing matters of significance. I think you’ll like it.”

If Tyroth opened the box now, it would reveal a wooden box with a velvet interior lining designed to hold a sword. And there was indeed a sword inside--a jian, whose blade had small lines which went through its blade, with a pommel, crossguard, and a somewhat largish handle with a switch on it marked "electroshock." Gracie then explained, matter of factly, that it was a "jian, a particular type of sword from where I come from. The gentleman of weapons, as it's called. This type happens to be meant for use with a variety of one handed sword techniques, given the length, balance so on--it should be nicely balanced for you, but if not, lemme know. It also comes with an additional ability, mind. When you press down on the switch and push it up, it sends an electrical current through those lines on the blade. Makes it so whenever the sword contacts the opponent, it deals an electric shock meant to stun or incapacitate the opponent to provide that extra advantage."

[Dyste]

When they got into the ship, Tyroth offered Gracie a seat on one of the cushions laid around the lounge; once they were sat in, they would form around the person's body shape to give them the best ergonomic option. "Rather interesting invention, right?" Tyorth said after speaking in another language to a kobold wearing a black pilot's cap, who ran to the cockpit for takeoff. "See, too many people think magic is simply for war and rituals, but it can create great wonders, just like science can." He had heard some rumors about Gracie's true nature, but even if they were true, she would still enjoy a comfy chair, he figured.

While they began talking, Lissah sat down next to her king. Bucky, on the other hand, stood perfectly still. "For example, this. I noticed you being curious about Bucky here. Well, he is what is known as a shield guardian, a construct animated by magic. My best friend Jarl Thaumsmith created him a few hundred years ago for me. It is not particularly advanced, though..." lifting the front of his cloak, his revealed an amulet over his neck, "I can give him instructions verbally as long as I wear this thing, and he has a few basic tasks programmed into him as well. I hear you have more advanced forms of artificial intelligence in your lands, and I imagine that would be one of the..."

At this point, Gracie offered the king a gift, which he opened mere moments after being handed it; after all, what good was a gift if one did not open it? Picking up the jian, Tyroth stood up, and gave the weapon a few swings, his technique showing that he was no stranger to swords. After that, he checked out the extra feature, causing him to laugh, "GHAHAHA! I love it! Reminds me of my old Lightning Mace! Here, Lissah, let me try it out!" The Orcess, looking a bit wary, nevertheless stood up to allow her king to test it on her. Swinging it at her armor, she was indeed stunned for a few moments; not enough for anyone to break through her armor, but certainly enough for someone as strong as Tyroth to gain the advantage. "This is a keeper, for sure." He nevertheless made sure his bodyguard was fine before continuing talking with Gracie.

"Well, Gracie, as you can see, we have plenty of great inventions we have created by magic. However, there are many things in this world that are beyond us, and sadly, our research into the ways our natural abilities can help our people have stunted our more scientific research. Granted, thanks to James, we have been making efforts in solving that; he managed to create a device that allows lightning magic to be converted to an electricity to power all those devices people use nowadays!" His own son-in-law, a Lightning Sage, had consented to the use of his power in order to give energy to the castle and major cities of Dyste this way. "But, there are many ways we could improve. I wish to know what sort of things you can offer to us, and if you would like anything in return." Money would certainly not an issue - Dyte was one of the wealthier Mystrian countries, and Tyroth himself one of the richest people in the region - but he was not sure what the CEO desired.

The kobolds, meanwhile, were trying out their new toy; a board that could float a few inches above the ground. James looked over to them and laughed, "Like that? I just took the idea of our flying carpets and bam, converted it into board form. Can't recall what gave me that idea, I think I saw it in a movie once."

[New Dornalia]

Gracie loved that Tyroth loved the gift, although she was surprised at Tyroth’s insistence on testdriving the electroshock capabilities then and there. It was always hard to find the perfect gift for people, especially when that someone was the king of a major Mystrian economic powerhouse. As it turned out though, Tyroth seemed to be a pretty cool guy. Jovial, friendly, and likeable. Gracie could dig this, and dig it well.

As Tyroth talked, Gracie nodded. Magic here had indeed been developed into an art form, and even a science of its own type. It had even produced suits of armor which could be controlled by a device of sorts around a master’s neck. Gracie herself instantly made the connection to something the boys at New Yorktown were making--drone controlled T-series power armors that could be commanded by a Gracie unit to provide her sisters with a more, shall we say, direct form of battlefield management. It was a bit less exciting than having a magic controller over a suit of armor, but it worked nicely.

Gracie then spoke, turning to Mr. Tinker’s kobolds on hoverboards. The image was, like most things with the kobolds, absolutely adorable. As James explained what the boards were, Gracie said, “I think I saw this in a movie, also. Possibly involving some crazy old dude and a kid with a car.”

Nodding, Gracie continued with a simple bit of exposition to James and Tyroth, “Now, Your Highness, Mr. Tinker, I do have repulsorlift technology in the Republic, although levitation spells are not unknown also. In plain Common, repulsorlifts would enable vehicles to hover over the ground, providing for faster movement over rough terrain of goods and people. They also make for much more efficient thrust vectoring for aircraft, et cetera, and faster automobiles.”

Gracie then pulled out three of what looked like rolled up bundles of something. Shaking them, the bundles hardened into what looked like tablets with miniature keyboards, as Gracie said, “Had to pull out the Catalog. Figured I’d actually have something for Mr. Tinker and Your Majesty and Lissah--her input’s welcome too, I would imagine--to look at as I ramble on about things. Basically, that Catalog has a listing of hovertechnologies in there. Stuff like hovercars, hover-conversion kits for automobiles, so on. We even have hoverboards.” Gracie gestured to a kobold hoverboarding about as she said this, adding, “And if they like hoverboards, I know they’re going to like hoverbikes.”

Gracie then said, continuing onwards, “We also have other technologies as well, if you’re interested. Powered armor for both combat and industrial applications. Spaceships--I know Mr. Tinker was curious about the Pelican I flew in upon, so I figured I’d bring that one up. That would include faster-than-light travel, which is useful for traversing long distances quickly. Also, I believe I may have interrupted a discussion earlier on artificial intelligence--apologies for that, by the way. Well, we do have very sophisticated artificial intelligences where I come from. The most prominent type is the General Rated Ability Computer Integrated Engineer system. Gracie for short. Used onboard Dornie Navy vessels to help manage functions. Normally, they don’t get control of “sensitive” things like weapons and life support, but in certain circumstances they can. They also network well in combat situations, enabling the sharing of information and plotting of strategy in a timely, advantageous manner. The Gracies are generally seen as ‘one of the boys,’ so to speak, so there’s little risk of a robot revolt. Helps that Dornies are socialized to work around them and vice versa. Of course, that does mean they do have rights, and are basically considered citizens for all practical purposes.”

Gracie then added, remembering the amulet Tyroth showed earlier, “Mind, all of the technology in those Catalogs I provided can be magically enhanced, particularly to work with the highly sophisticated magic systems you’ve got going here in Dyste. For example, the magic used to animate Bucky could be used to animate a suit of powered armor and there could be a combined technomagical control unit used to give commands. Additionally, the magic hoverboards could use repulsorlifts, but be powered using electrical magic. Likewise, if you have grimoires--that is, spellbooks and all--they can be digitized into small e-readers, like the Catalog copies I just provided. Those are yours to keep, by the way.”

Gracie added, “And, we can custom tailor anything in the Catalog to suit specific needs.” Gracie then gestured to the kobolds and said with a smile and a tinge of enthusiasm, “For example, I could make power armor suits that are suited to the proportions of a kobold without sacrificing performance. I mean, think of the possibilities, especially with the hoverboards. How cool would that be?”

Gracie then said a simple proposal for payment which she hoped would appeal to Tyroth as she passed out copies of the Catalog to Tyroth, James and Lissah.

“And as for payment...well, I suppose payment in gold would work nicely. Although considering you’ve been a mensch to me so far--that is, very hospitable and pleasant to do business with so far--well, I’d be willing to include some very nice bulk offers and/or discounts when we begin hammering out technology transfer agreements in earnest.”

Gracie then asked, “Also, two more things. One--would it be possible for me to get a glass of water? And two--not to sound presumptuous, but do you mind, Your Majesty, if I call you Tyroth?”

[Dyste]

Tyroth, James, and Lissah all listened to Gracie's proposal with keen interest. Each of them had their own interest in the matter. For Tyroth, he desired to bring Dyste forward in the world, hoping to make new allies and possibly new forms of magitech. In Lissah's case, she wanted to know more about this 'powered armor' Gracie mentioned, though she didn't know if it could aid her personally over her own magic armor, she knew of many people who would most certainly benefit from it. As for James? He wanted new toys to play with.

"Yes, Tyroth is fine, Gracie. All my friends call me that." Granted, his name meant 'Mighty Lord', meaning it was still respectful to call the king by his given name. "And as for the water, allow me." He gestured for a kobold to bring him a glass, which he tapped lightly with his left index finger. The glass began filling with water, clear with a bit of a sparkling effect at the top. "I suppose you can cross 'drink water conjured by magic by a king' off the list of 'Things I Need To Do in Dyste', GHAHAHA!"

Lissah, meanwhile, remarked on the payment with some amusement, "Gold, you say? You've come to the right place for that." Dyste was one of the largest sources of gold in the region. "We've got a whole of City of Gold - well, not everything there's made of it, but it sure looks that way at times. And no, my armor's not actually made of gold, it just looks that way. Speaking of armor- hold on. You said that AIs are named 'Gracie'... are you... Sire, did you know..."

The king shrugged, "I... had my suspicious. Frankly, your aura is more like Bucky than any of ours. Definitely more going on the upper floor, naturally, but you are not like us, that much it certain." Knowledge of this did not chance his view of Gracie; he knew she was capable at her job, and was personally quite friendly and charismatic, that mattered more to him. "On that note, I was wondering, how easy would it be for you to learn languages? See, a lot a species have trouble understanding kobolds, but I believe you might want to speak to them freely, aside from Minityroth, that is..."

"I am not a kobold, I am Draconid!" Minityroth yelped at that; she wanted to be a smaller version of Tyroth in more ways than one. "But learning how Kobosh might be good. And I hear armor of power for kobolds? Make them stronger, tougher? Able to stop gnomes?" In spite of her efforts, her kobold traits were showing.

The king patted her on the muzzle, "Er, yes, I should explain... kobolds have been enemies with gnomes for longer than my people have known them. In spite of my efforts, that does not seem to be changing any time soon. But anyways, your ideas for combining our magic with your technology are intriguing. Many people seem to think the two cannot be mixed. Silly them, that has been done since before I was born. Of course, we would probably have to do some tests in Calberona to make sure, but that can wait until after we have made out the deal. Speaking of which... I have not decided on our destination as of yet, as I wished for your input. We could go back to the castle, of course. Or to Calberona in order to test out this theory. Undellah is good if you want the beach, or Auram if you are more into arcades and casinos. And of course, there is our capital, Valitora, our economic and cultural center. What do you think?"

[New Dornalia]

Gracie cheerfully accepted the water, making note of the fact Tyroth was quite the magic user. It figured. Given the old rule that authority did equal asskicking, it made sense that a man of Tyroth’s stature had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Gracie raised the glass, and thanked Tyroth with a grin and a simple, “Now that’s what I call hospitality. Thanks!”

As she sipped, Gracie overheard Lissah speak on the matter of gold. Gracie nodded, and would have continued on the subject (particularly as to the size and specs of gold bars)—but then Lissah put two and two together about Gracie’s true nature. Gracie took it in stride. After all, that just meant Lissah was a capable warfighter in more ways than one. Then again, it also meant Gracie likely fell into the trap of talking too much, and also dealing with people that Nick Tyrol hadn’t quite anticipated when making HRDs. Fortunately, Tyroth seemed to let the fact Gracie was actually an AI in a HRD body go, even if he did compare her to Bucky. Gracie quipped, with a grin, “Well, I figure Bucky’s got something in there. He’s lasted this long, after all.”

Then, Gracie heard an inquiry onto learning Kobosh. Now, Gracie normally would have had language packs uploaded to her programming—it was how she had command of pretty much any Earth language out there, plus Quenya and Hylian. Kobosh was new to her though, and ERIS likely hadn’t had a language pack for her. Still, she’d picked up how to do things the old fashioned way. Why not learn a language that way also? Plus, she’d have the advantage of being able to work with Kobolds directly, especially since Minityroth expressed an interest in getting power armor for kobolds. Apparently, the gnomes and kobolds had an outstanding blood feud, although Gracie couldn’t understand for the life of her why anyone wanted to hurt a kobold. Then again, no one ever said blood feuds had to make sense.

Gracie then declared, looking at Minityroth with a grin, “For you and the kobolds?” Gracie then pulled out a pen, and sized up the kobolds like an artist, using the pen in a faux-attempt to establish distance. She then nodded and pulled out a greenish pad of paper, and confidently declared, “I think we can make some power armor that’s good for kobolds. Easily. I’ve got a few ideas bubbling in the ol’ brainpan. Also, I think I'd like to learn Kobosh, actually.” Turning to Tyroth, Gracie declared, beginning to scribble on her pad of paper and looking at Tyroth, “On that note, I am tempted to go to Calberona, but I figure I should take some time and relax, get to know Dyste a bit more. I mean, I just got here. How about a trip to Valitora?”

[Dyste]

Tyroth was rather amused at Gracie's view of his spell, "I suppose for you being able to conjure water out of thin air is impressive, but it is one of the most basic of spells for us." Most Draconid children learned it shortly after entering school with Water Draconids potentially before even then. "That said, my prowess with the arcane reaches far beyond giving people refreshments. I am fairly adept at healing, for one; when you are an adventurer, it never hurts to have another medic. But personally, my favourite is..." he disappeared in a flash of light, only to appear beside the AI, "... teleportation. Even with laws in place limiting their usage, it is very convenient to go places in a flash, not to mention a handy tool for battles..." he teleported right next to Bucky and slammed his scepter against the shield guardian, leaving a notable dent in its side. "Oh, do not worry, it will straighten itself out." True enough, in mere seconds the dent was fixing itself. "Apparently the magic in Bucky here makes him self-healing. I am not personally sure how it works... I tend to be more of a hands-on type of learner."

"In other words," Lissah piped up, while Tyroth went to the pilot to tell him or their destination, "His Majesty would most likely have to study notes, and he has to keep the fact that he is illiterate secret. That, or he just pretends to be so people won't give him documents to look over." This was a common joke among Tyroth's close friends, who have rarely if ever seen him read anything compared to his wife, an avid reader and writer. In reality, he did read, though mostly in private.

"Whether I am literate or not, I most certainly am not deaf." The king had teleported behind Lissah just as she had finished speaking. "Regardless, we do have to good Kobosh Language classes in the capital. Education is a basic right in Dyste, so no need to worry about tuition or the like. And Valitora also has a few of what we call 'koboldtowns', which are districts sized specifically for kobolds, so plenty of immersion there. Speaking of which... I think we are close enough to depart. We shall start in the Market District. Everyone, get ready for our landing!" Lissah rolled her eyes, and James simply blinked, but the kobolds were excited; this was their favourite part.

Tyroth took off his mantle, causing it to vanish, and unfurled his wings. Standing by the exit, he got everyone to stand behind him, then used wind magic to make them float above the ground. When he leaped off the airship, the others followed in a line, under the power of his flight. In spite of their size and weight, Draconids were actually fast fliers, in fact they were swifter in the air than on their feet, and Tyroth was no exception. The sensation of flying with the king lasted for only five minutes before he landed in on the stone street of the Market District, the others landing safely behind him. "Welcome to the City of Life, my friends." Indeed, the city seemed to be quite lively, with Draconids of all colours around, and kobolds of... slightly less varied scales, but varied nonetheless. The Market District was filled with businesses and vendors, and while they had made efforts in modernizing, the place still had an older feel to it, thanks to most of the building being created centuries ago.

After they landed, quite a few people took notice; after all, a visit by the king was... actually, he was a frequent visitor to the capital, but it was a treat nonetheless. Most Draconids bowed to their king, as did the odd elf or orc that could be seen. However, the most notable reaction was from the kobolds. Every one in the area, whether out on the streets or noticing Tyroth's arrival from in the buildings, rushed over to him, muzzles pointed at him. It did not help that they were just outside one of the 'koboldtowns', which indeed looked like a miniature version of the area surrounding it, too large for Tyroth, Lissah, Arkady or Bucky to even fit, and even the likes of James or Gracie would likely have to crouch in order to fit in the buildings. Tyroth sighed, "Such is the life of being the king, I suppose. I cannot go anywhere without meeting some fans."

[New Dornalia]

Gracie would find herself carried along by the wind spell. She didn’t have wings or a jetpack, but fortunately, Tyroth’s skill was such that it really didn’t matter. Spreading her arms and legs like a parachutist, she followed Tyroth to terra firma. Her combat AI training took over as they approached the ground. In particular, she recalled one of the many things in the archives she had read—a guide on basic paratrooper landing skills. With that in mind, she tucked and rolled like a paratrooper would, rolling on the ground and regaining her footing with a stylish pose. Just as well too—it was one thing to know it, but another to actually do it. The pose would keep her from falling over.

As she dusted herself off, Gracie would normally have thought about the opportunity for Kobosh language learning courses and the elementary nature of water spells. She also normally would have begun puzzling how to fit inside a koboldtown, since it'd look like she'd have to adapt her movement style appropriately to a smaller landscape. However, while Gracie did consider beginning research into the best Kobosh teachers in Valitora--and also remembering the water spells and small koboldtown environs for later--she was soon distracted by other things. Namely, Gracie was more focused on something which was infinitely more amusing…and adorable--the large groups of fanbolds eager for muzzlerubs. Gracie couldn’t help but be overwhelmed by the cuteness. She resisted the urge to let out a majestic squee and ramble on like a loon due to the overload of adorable creatures, but all present could see her react very positively to the kobolds with a pleasant expression and a blush.

Gracie noted Tyroth’s commentary, and went, “I can think of no better fans, though,” glowingly observing the kobolds. Turning to Tarka, Gracie asked simply but enthusiastically, “Any particular protocol to muzzlerubbing a kobold?” Coughing, Gracie added, keeping to a somewhat calmer tone, “ It looks like the crowd would like some muzzlerubs, but…I’m not sure how to proceed.”

[Dyste]

While Tyroth was surrounded, the kobolds had stayed mostly silent, aside from remarks about the 'Kinginid', he could easily hear Gracie's question. "Muzzle rubbing protocol, you say?" At first it sounded like an odd request, but there were in fact a few guidelines to take into consideration; kobolds were very impressionable, and it would be good for Gracie to make as goodan impression as she could. "Yes, I believe I can help you with that. Kib, Srazz, care to help me demonstrate?" Two kobolds, one with brown scales and a black newsboy cap, the other green with a chef hat, stepped up, nodding.

"The easiest way to tell if a kobold wishes to have its muzzle rubbed is if they point said muzzle towards you." He had his two aides go up next to dornie; The brown-scaled one, who Minityroth specified was Kib, simply looked at Gracie, while Srazz raised his head so she had easier access to the muzzle. "See, the muzzle has the most sensitive scales on a kobold's body, and that means that them allowing you to touch it shows a good degree of trust. While rubbing is the preferred method, they also like tickling and patting to a lesser degree. Boops are sometimes used when a kobold tries to get an undeserved rub..." the two kobolds pouted at this; most kobolds thoughts they always deserved rubs! "But the one thing you never do... is honk one." At the mention of the word 'honk', Kib and Srazz covered their muzzles, and many of the surrounding kobolds gasped, a few even looked around, as if they expected something to do that most unspeakable of acts...

The king took a minute to calm them down; evidently, they must've thought he was warning them of a threat. "Anyways... scratching behind the ears and picking them up is also fine, if they wish it." Kib moved his head so his ears, fairly long for such a short species, were within reach, while Srazz turned out and pointed his tail at Gracie. "Oh, and rub with your hands, not your muzzle... er, nose. Think of it sort of like kissing; you do not kiss just anyone on the lips, only those special someones. Well, at least for people that can kiss, my own kind... not really the type that pucker up, so to say, GHAHAHA!" While Draconids did not usually have their muzzles rubbed, nuzzling others with theirs was a sign of affection from them.

Once the kobolds finally began to go back to their usual day-to-day activities, they were able to get a better view of the city. Several umbrellas has been placed on the street, with some having a kobold sitting on top of them. Decorations of blue, purple, and silver were strewn across the street, and many of the people were purchasing decorations and gifts wrapped in a spherical container. "Ah, right, it's almost Dystemas!" Lissah remarked, "Wonder what Father Dystemas will bring this year?"

Tyroth smiled; the fact that Gracie has arrived during the Dystemas season was mostly coincidence, but it was a good opportunity to showcase some of their culture. "It is one of our most treasured holidays, celebrated since near the beginning of our nation. It is a time for family and friends, and giving and receiving gifts. Perhaps I shall see if Father Dystemas will have his helperbolds bring a gift to you... though we have heard of some holiday humans have that is awfully similar to this one, with a fat man in a red suit with short people who are erroneously called 'elves'. Frankly, I do not know how they managed to take our beloved holiday and make so many mistakes with it, but if people are brought together by it, who am I to complain?"

[New Dornalia]

While Tyroth was surrounded, the kobolds had stayed mostly silent, aside from remarks about the 'Kinginid', he could easily hear Gracie's question. "Muzzle rubbing protocol, you say?" At first it sounded like an odd request, but there were in fact a few guidelines to take into consideration; kobolds were very impressionable, and it would be good for Gracie to make as goodan impression as she could. "Yes, I believe I can help you with that. Kib, Srazz, care to help me demonstrate?" Two kobolds, one with brown scales and a black newsboy cap, the other green with a chef hat, stepped up, nodding.

"The easiest way to tell if a kobold wishes to have its muzzle rubbed is if they point said muzzle towards you." He had his two aides go up next to dornie; The brown-scaled one, who Minityroth specified was Kib, simply looked at Gracie, while Srazz raised his head so she had easier access to the muzzle. "See, the muzzle has the most sensitive scales on a kobold's body, and that means that them allowing you to touch it shows a good degree of trust. While rubbing is the preferred method, they also like tickling and patting to a lesser degree. Boops are sometimes used when a kobold tries to get an undeserved rub..." the two kobolds pouted at this; most kobolds thoughts they always deserved rubs! "But the one thing you never do... is honk one." At the mention of the word 'honk', Kib and Srazz covered their muzzles, and many of the surrounding kobolds gasped, a few even looked around, as if they expected something to do that most unspeakable of acts...

The king took a minute to calm them down; evidently, they must've thought he was warning them of a threat. "Anyways... scratching behind the ears and picking them up is also fine, if they wish it." Kib moved his head so his ears, fairly long for such a short species, were within reach, while Srazz turned out and pointed his tail at Gracie. "Oh, and rub with your hands, not your muzzle... er, nose. Think of it sort of like kissing; you do not kiss just anyone on the lips, only those special someones. Well, at least for people that can kiss, my own kind... not really the type that pucker up, so to say, GHAHAHA!" While Draconids did not usually have their muzzles rubbed, nuzzling others with theirs was a sign of affection from them.

Once the kobolds finally began to go back to their usual day-to-day activities, they were able to get a better view of the city. Several umbrellas has been placed on the street, with some having a kobold sitting on top of them. Decorations of blue, purple, and silver were strewn across the street, and many of the people were purchasing decorations and gifts wrapped in a spherical container. "Ah, right, it's almost Dystemas!" Lissah remarked, "Wonder what Father Dystemas will bring this year?"

Tyroth smiled; the fact that Gracie has arrived during the Dystemas season was mostly coincidence, but it was a good opportunity to showcase some of their culture. "It is one of our most treasured holidays, celebrated since near the beginning of our nation. It is a time for family and friends, and giving and receiving gifts. Perhaps I shall see if Father Dystemas will have his helperbolds bring a gift to you... though we have heard of some holiday humans have that is awfully similar to this one, with a fat man in a red suit with short people who are erroneously called 'elves'. Frankly, I do not know how they managed to take our beloved holiday and make so many mistakes with it, but if people are brought together by it, who am I to complain?"

Gracie giggled at the mention of mistakes in other people's Dystemas celebrations. It reminded her of that scene in a movie she saw once, where an alien had proclaimed you hadn't heard Shakespeare until you heard him in the original...language. Of course, to avoid confusing people with movie references, Gracie merely quipped, "Well, that's what happens when you don't have kobolds. You have to make do with guys who make cookies and guys who eat too many of them. Believe me." Gracie then changed the subject, declaring approvingly, "Anyway, I do like the cut of this Father Dystemas's jib. I wonder what his helperbolds have in mind for gifts for people this year?"

As she contemplated the question, Gracie remembered what she had been learning on Kobold etiquette. As such, she took the opportunity to follow the protocols as laid out by Tyroth. When Srazz presented his muzzle, Gracie leaned forward and with a grin, gave the muzzle a playful rub. Gracie then, upon prompting, picked up Srazz and scratched Kib behind the ears. Gracie was visibly enjoying going through the motions with the two kobolds as she partook in the informational talk lead by Tyroth. There was a lot more joy than the phrase suggested--the big grin was a dead giveaway about that. Gracie then nodded at Kib and Srazz, extending her hand out for a handshake. She glowed approvingly as she spoke quintessentially DOrnie words of appreciation.

"You guys are awesome. We've got a word for awesome people like you where we come from: mensch. Both of you, menschen." Gracie evidently loved woriking with the Kobolds, and she definetly knew they were a good way to go.

[Dyste]

Kib and Srazz both nodded in approval at Gracie's actions, the latter curling his tail over Gracie's arm in order to get better leverage. "Seems that they're taking a liking to you already," Lissah remarked. "Usually takes years for a kobold to warm up to me. I think it may have to do with the whole 'Paladin' thing; seems that for some reason, they had it in their heads that paladins are people who slay them. Why would I do something like that?"

Suddenly, a tune played from somewhere in the koboldtown, oddly reminiscent of a game involving hammers for some reason. When it was heard, all the kobolds stopped what they were doing, perked up their ears, and in unison, shouted, "NOM!" Tyroth let out a sigh; now of all times? All the kobolds looked at the king and his guests, and began, en masse, pushing them away from the area. "Look, we are capable of defending ourselves! You do not need to... oh, fine! We can get to safety while you deal with this! Just... please do not be reckless." Tyroth escorted them to a adjoining street, his kobold staff members joining the others, Srazz even jumping out of Gracie's arms to do so. Briefly, a pair of squat humanoids could be seen, one with a gaggle of geese on leashes, the other having some dogs they released to chase the little reptilians.

"My apologies, Gracie," he spoke to the AI, "But kobolds do take a gnome appearance very seriously, even if it happens to be a single one. To be perfectly honest, gnomes trying to sneak into Dyste and cause panic among kobolds is becoming more common. And yet, they always try to do it themselves, without getting any aid from myself or the Royal Knights. Every time I try to help them, they get upset; I believe they might blame themselves for bringing this conflict to Dystan shores. And sure, now it is mainly muzzle honking and gnome kicking, but what if things escalate?"

After about five minutes, the alarm stopped, and the kobolds went back to whatever they were doing beforehand. "My, my, you were all brave," the king gave his staff members muzzle rubs; it seemed one of them was punched on that sensitive part of their body, but the rub helped ease the pain. "Well, sorry about the distraction, Gracie, but they say the problem is over and we can continue. Shall we?"

[New Dornalia]

Gracie nodded and said, stunned by what happened, "Yeah. I think we can proceed further. Where were we?"

Gracie could be seen stroking her chin, contemplating about what to do. Clearly, given the rapid, sudden reaction to the gnomish incursion including a raid alarm and a call to arms, the Kobolds took the entrance of gnomes quite seriously. Then again, Gracie was not very enthused about the gnomes either. There was no faster way to bother Gracie--or any Dornie for that matter--than unleashing dogs on civilians in chases and/or engaging in assault and battery on them, with little context or reason. That was, to use some language from the kids nowadays, not cool by any stretch of the imagination. The geese were merely an icing on an already unappetizing cake--and one wondered what the geese thought of being used as attack dogs to harass the civilians with loud honks.

The proposal for Kobold-sized power armor took on a new urgency. Suddenly, it seemed less like a whim induced by cuteness, and an actual, proper solution to a very worrying problem. As Tyroth stated, it was fairly obvious the gnomes weren't going to let it go. No one let loose hounds on civvies and stopped there. Gracie began thinking harder, pulling out her sketchpad and making notes of the gnomish incursion and the fact the kobolds wanted to handle this matter on their own. No problem, as power armor would make it much easier to do this job. Heck, at the least, it would provide a morale boost for the kobolds. Having one's strength enhanced many times normal by hydraulics and artificial muscle tended to do that, as would helmets preventing the muzzle honking.

As the party went to their destination, Gracie thought out loud and asked Tarka, "How long have the gnomes been harassing Kobolds?"

[Dyste]

While Tyroth was taking Gracie alongside the Market District, getting close to the border that separated it from the Knowledge District, Tarka looked to the staff members, who nodded. After a few words in Kobosh, the kobold (or was she a tiny Draconid? It was hard to tell...) spoke up.

"Happened over thousand years ago, before kobolds and Draconids met. Kobold god and gnome god were rivals. Kobold god was hardworking, had fabulous mine where loyal kobolds worked. Kobolds are great at mining. Gnome god decided to play trick on kobold god, and cause a cave-in. Killed many kobolds. Ever since then, gnomes think it is funny to keep pulling pranks on boldkind. Too cowardly to play them on Dragons and Draconids, kobolds remain main focus for them. We try to make ways to stop them, but they find new things, like evil Honkbolds, to try and..." thinking for a moment, she looked at her king.

"I believe the word you are thinking is 'harass', Tarka." He patted his miniature doppelganger on the muzzle.

"Haraz. Gnomes are lazy, cruel, and..." looking back to her king, she got another large Common word, "Trekerus. Evveything kobolds not. They think kobolds dull, hummorless, boring. The two... too different to get along. But Draconids, kobolds view them as big kobolds. Not sure myself, but kobolds want to make sure them not hurt in our war." She looked at Tyroth, muzzle pointed.

Tyroth smiled, giving her muzzle a rub. "Very good, Tarka. As you can tell, it appears to be a mix of ideological difference and possibly a religious nature as well. The kobold god's holy symbol is apparently a gnome skull. As she said, the conflict's beginning predates our knowledge of them, so I cannot say for certain how much is true, but based on what I know of gnomes, it seems quite likely that something like what they claim is indeed how it started."

[New Dornalia]

Gracie nodded at the explanation of the Gnome-Kobold rivalry with a strong undercurrent of sympathy welling up within her. It sounded like one of those things which, well, common sense would dictate not to get involved in. Like the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, the Arab-Israeli Rivalry of the 20th century...outside meddling didn't seem like a good idea. And yet, Gracie's soft spot for the kobolds motivated her to maybe at least do her part in minimizing the fallout from a rather malevolent series of raids and counterraids which looked to be troubling even Tyroth.

But, that would be for later. For now, she was focused on Kobosh language learning, and continuing to take in the scenery. She'd remember to stop and buy something from the merchants, if only to see how the locals did business. The Koboldtown certainly had many things going for it--Gracie got the feeling it was like one of those old-timey ethnic neighborhoods, where one could conduct business without ever really leaving the town--at least until the kids learned English and became doctors and lawyers and moved to the suburbs.

As the party moved into the Knowledge District, Gracie would begin looking around. Surely, there would be a good teacher of Kobosh in these parts, right? She kept an eye out. Gracie could see that the kobolds tended to use hats and clothing to distinguish themselves, so hopefully, someone with clothing representing something involving education would be a good lead.

[Dyste]

While Tyroth was all too happy to continue the tour, he had the feeling that Gracie was looking for something in particular. Knowing that they were in the Knowledge District, he had the feeling what she was after... "Little ones, I am thinking that perhaps our guest is looking for someone to instruct her on your language. Perhaps you know where she could learn it?" The kobold looked at each other, then back to the king, nodding. They directed them to a building with 'SCHOOLBOLD' in bright red letters on the top. "A little on the muzzle, if I do say so myself, but I suppose one of the best places to go to learn Kobosh is a kobold school. Actually, I do recall one of my staff members saying that they went here to learn it." The building had doors sized so Draconids could enter, so it was clear it was not just for kobold students.

As they went inside, in a room close to the entrance, they saw a brown-scaled kobold wearing a graduation cap and a tweed vest, speaking in Kobosh to a small group of Draconid students. For the most part, it looked like he was saying such things as 'Professorbold!', 'Lecturebold', and 'Instructionbold', but it seemed his students were understanding them quite well. However, the lecture(bold) was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the king. The professorbold ran up, muzzle pointed, which the king happily obliged. "I have a friend here who wishes to learn Kobosh. She is not a Draconid, but I believe she is capable of learning it all the same. Can you help us?"

The professorbold spoke, in Common no less, "Anything for the Kinginid!" His voice was still high-pitched, and he still had a slight slur, but he still sounded more refined than Minityroth. Looking over to Gracie, he adjusted his cap, "Surprised I speak Common? I'm a language professor, after all! I speak ten, and I'm learning eleventh now! I'm Yaliuk Gnomekicker, Professor of Languages. I teach childinids mainly, but if you have what it takes, I can teach you the language of the little dragons! Do you think you can do it? Most nonbolds have trouble, I find."

[New Dornalia]

While Tyroth was all too happy to continue the tour, he had the feeling that Gracie was looking for something in particular. Knowing that they were in the Knowledge District, he had the feeling what she was after... "Little ones, I am thinking that perhaps our guest is looking for someone to instruct her on your language. Perhaps you know where she could learn it?" The kobold looked at each other, then back to the king, nodding. They directed them to a building with 'SCHOOLBOLD' in bright red letters on the top. "A little on the muzzle, if I do say so myself, but I suppose one of the best places to go to learn Kobosh is a kobold school. Actually, I do recall one of my staff members saying that they went here to learn it." The building had doors sized so Draconids could enter, so it was clear it was not just for kobold students.

As they went inside, in a room close to the entrance, they saw a brown-scaled kobold wearing a graduation cap and a tweed vest, speaking in Kobosh to a small group of Draconid students. For the most part, it looked like he was saying such things as 'Professorbold!', 'Lecturebold', and 'Instructionbold', but it seemed his students were understanding them quite well. However, the lecture(bold) was interrupted by the sudden appearance of the king. The professorbold ran up, muzzle pointed, which the king happily obliged. "I have a friend here who wishes to learn Kobosh. She is not a Draconid, but I believe she is capable of learning it all the same. Can you help us?"

The professorbold spoke, in Common no less, "Anything for the Kinginid!" His voice was still high-pitched, and he still had a slight slur, but he still sounded more refined than Minityroth. Looking over to Gracie, he adjusted his cap, "Surprised I speak Common? I'm a language professor, after all! I speak ten, and I'm learning eleventh now! I'm Yaliuk Gnomekicker, Professor of Languages. I teach childinids mainly, but if you have what it takes, I can teach you the language of the little dragons! Do you think you can do it? Most nonbolds have trouble, I find."

Gracie followed King Tyroth into the Schoolbold, and wiggling in just so, she took in the scenery and the Professor, who seemed willing to assist her in learning Kobosh the old fashioned way when asked to do so by the King. Normally, she would use a downloaded language pack, but well, the Dornie databanks didn’t have Kobosh yet. Besides, something compelled her to give the old sit-down learning methods a try. Maybe it was the fact her hosts were quite generous? She wasn’t sure, but that seemed to be the closest thing.

Gracie then nodded, and thanked Tyroth for taking time out of the tour for this little diversion, saying “Wow. You didn’t have to do this--but thanks for doing so. I owe you one.” It paid to be polite, after all.

After that, she bowed respectfully to Professor Gnomekicker, shaking his hand. He looked the very model of a professor, and while adorable, seemed to possess a stately bearing worthy of his academic status. At the very least, Gracie took note that he was a Kobold who knew Common. That was worth noting in itself.

Hearing that there would be a challenge involved in learning Kobosh, Gracie nodded and beamed, confident and even a bit brash.

“Well, Professor Gnomekicker, considering I’ve survived having a starship blown out from under me, I’m not afraid of a challenge like, say, learning a new language. I’ve been through more taxing things. Anyway, where do I sign up?” She then added, hastily, "Name's Gracie Kurimitsu, by the way," remembering that she well, had to introduce herself to the Professorbold.

[Dyste]

Professor Gnomekicker looked all too happy to get Gracie in his class, "I would be happy to have you, Miss Gracie. Since current year had already started, I would need a few tutor days to catch you up, maybe starting tomorrow?" He looked at his students, hoping that one could tell her one of the key rules of Kobosh. "For first lesson... can someone tell Miss what -bold is?"

A young Draconid with pale green scales stood up, seemingly the class's resident teacherbold's pet, "The -bold suffix means 'dragon', but many people make the mistake of thinking that everything with it means that what they are referring to is a dragon. In truth, it can also means something that does something to a dragon; 'Honkbold', for instance, means 'Honks at dragons', not 'Honking dragon'. The way to tell the difference usually falls under seeing what they are calling a '-bold'."

The Professorbold walked up to the child and gave him a muzzle rub; evidently even Draconids liked them from time to time. "Goodinid. I hope that makes more sense. '-bolds' are more dragonlike and scaly, not feathery or furry. Anyways, I need to get back to class, I shall fill out paperwork for you!" Yaliuk went over to the board and began writing notes, albeit needing a ladder (technically a stepladder, if one had narrow-minded cultural assumptions) to reach the higher parts of the white screen.

Tyroth lead Gracie out, assured that the Professorbold would be able to cover Gracie's first lessons, "Well, as far as we go, we consider 'dragons' to belong to the 'drakon' family of species. This is where you would find true dragons, wyverns, drakes, kobolds... and yes, us. 'Draconid' is partially derived from the term, as a matter of fact. But, who says there had to be only one way of looking at things? I hear many different cultures have their own views on what a dragon is, some more like us, others nothing like us at all."

As they continued on their tour, they reached the Culture District. Noticing a large line of kobolds and Draconids alike, they could hear a song about not stepping on their blue suede gnomekicking boots. Getting a better look at where they were heading, it was a music hall with a statue of a kobold wearing said boots and strumming a guitar, with "BOB" written in neon letters below. Tyroth's own staff looked excited after hearing the famous tunes.

"Oh yes, there was a famous kobold singer a few centuries back that was a big star," Tyroth was reminded about meeting that bard for the first time. "And his music is still popular to this day. Actually, I knew him before he became a big hit, a few of his songs are about me, even. And while he is no longer with us, many musicbolds aspire to be like him, to the point that some dress up like him. I would say I wonder how that would feel, but, well," he gestured to Minityroth, who acted oblivious to what he was referring to. "But yes, you could say he was one of Dyste's earliest celebritybolds."

[New Dornalia]

Gracie was excited. Sure, she could easily learn Kobosh via a brain plug. But well....no such brainplug existed, and something about the occasion made her curious enough to sit down with the studentbolds and put in the time and effort. Of course, that would require time and energy, but Arkady could be trusted to handle some affairs--and also Ms. Mazur back in Ravenstskia. Besides, Gnomekicker seemed to be a good enough teacher. He did clarify that the bold suffix was context based after all. No more difficult than say, Cantonese Chinese and its lack of gender-based pronouns requiring contextual readings also.

Of course, logistical considerations took a backseat as Tyroth introduced the Kobold celebrity known as Bob. Gracie looked at the image of the oddly attired kobold, and couldn't help snapping a picture. Something about the visage of Bob, the mention of impersonators, and blue suede gnomekicking boots looked somewhat familiar to Gracie. Then again, as someone who had Elvis Presley's TCB sigil on her Pelican, one would expect her to make the connection.

Of course, once the AI made the connection, there was the inevitable question of how Bob came to be. After all, it was one thing to have Dystemas, but a Kobold Elvis? Clearly, the Mystrian history of cross dimensional interaction had been a long and storied one, one going way before say, the appearance of the NASC (a place on her List of Mystrian Places to visit, as an alternate Socialist America contrasted so greatly with the North America she knew that sheer curiosity alone demanded a trip) or even the tragedies of the High Treefolk.

Turning to Tyroth, Gracie asked (diplomatically, of course, to see if she could puzzle out if the Elvis-Mystria connection wasn't just her fanboying), "Bob sounds like he must have been a helluva guy to know. I wonder how he came by that guitar, though?"

[Dyste]

Tyroth recalled asking Bob about the guitar, "Well, Bob said that he got it from a man in a sequinned jumpsuit, though many debate how true that is. Bob was always an odd one, what with a rather unusual name for a kobold and an accent I had never heard from anyone for a long time. But as for my own opinion, I have seen avatars of gods, alternate worlds, and have traveled to a place which some humans might call Hell. With all the things I have seen, I cannot deny the possibility that Bob had, in fact, met such a man and received a guitar having a design that would not exist otherwise for centuries. In fact, given that guitar, I think it is all the more likely that his story was true." Granted, Bob nowadays was slightly less an unusual name for a kobold, if only due to being a popular boybold's name.

"Excuse me, Your Majesty," Lissah had been quiet for much of the tour, but she had been following them throughout it, as any good bodyguard should, "Learning about kobolds and history is fine and all, but maybe we should get back to the reason Gracie came to our realm. Surely by now you have seen plenty to have some ideas, right? Like with Bucky here; sure he can regenerate, but the materials made for him are getting really outdated." Patting Bucky on the shoulder, he indeed looked rather patched up, but with several repairs without the aid of his original creator that seemed rather inevitable. "I heard they're making headway on Jarl's original notes on making him and his 'brother' Sheldon, I think James knows more, don't you..." looking around, she had realized for that first time that their technology advisor had gone missing. "Ugh, so like him to get lost. If I had to take a guess, he got separated during the gnome attack." She instructed a few kobolds to go find him; humans were rare enough that he's be easy to spot.

Tyroth had admittedly forgotten about James as well, probably due to all the kobold shenanigans. "Well, Gracie, we will formally discuss matters on business with my attorney in the castle - I think you will like him - but if you have any suggestions, I am willing to hear them out. Granted, with some matters I may have to discuss them with Parliament - technically as king I can overrule them, but it would not be best for our country's progressive stance if I do not allow them to do their job - but matters more directly tied to my own wallet I only need my own judgment for."

[New Dornalia]

Gracie nodded, gasping in surprise at how busy she was fawning over Kobolds when she came for trade and so on.

"Oh my. Well, I suppose there's a time for schmoozing, and a time for business. Seems it's time for business." Pausing and wringing her hands together, she struggled to remember what she had proposed earlier--and then it came quickly, with the struggle being not much of one. Gracie said, "Well, Lissah's comment about Bucky here reminded me of some of what I had proposed earlier. Wish James was here though, because he'd definitely be interested in some of the goods I have--hell, I know he's interested."

Pacing around as if deep in thought, Gracie began to speak.

"If I remember our earlier chat, we had discussed repulsorlift technology to make things like hoverboards and hovercars, powered armor suits, and also things like spacecraft or the practical tools to make them thereof, mixing them with Dystean magic to make magitek inventions for both civil and military uses. Now, I know I have to hash out the hard details with your attorney there, and I admittedly have to just plain hash out the details, preferably with James. But I can tell you that one of the ideas at least incorporated Kobold sized powered armor. I was even gaming out mentally and paper-wise how to make a free sample." With a click of the tongue, Gracie smiled and went, showing a sheet of greenish paper with a sketched out suit of armor to Tyroth and the party, complete with measurements and a "NOT TO SCALE" warning, "I've got replicators in my spaceship, I could knock out a test model. Just have to plug in the specs."

Looking about, she turned and quipped to Lissah, "Sorry about returning to the 'bolds, but hey--I had kobolds on the brain."

[Dyste]

The Dystans listened to Gracie's proposals. "Powerarmorbolds?" The kobolds spoke in unison. None of them were all too familiar with the concept, as Dyste lacked them and other nations would not need them in any case they had come across so far.

Tyroth did not know of power armor all too well himself, though he did get the concept behind it. "Hm, magitek is certainly something we can make, particularly with the aid of mythril. Are you aware of the metal? It is a material as strong as steel, yet much lighter. It also happens to be very receptive to magic, hence why a lot of magical items in Dyste use it. For example, Lissah's armor is made of it," he slammed his sceptre into her armor, causing a clanging sound but no damage to either her or her armor. "It would in particular be good for armor for kobolds, seeing as their little frames would not be able to carry too much weight, even with assistance from machinery."

"Did someone say 'machinery'?" James arrived, having a pair of kobolds latched into each of his arms. "Alright, alright already, I was gonna come anyways, you can stop doing that!" Whatever else, kobolds were persistent when they had a job to do. "But yeah, you've got an idea for special armor or something?"

"Of course, if weaponry is involved, James'll be into it," Lissah scoffed. "But yeah, I helped to find our main source of mythril on one of the nearby smaller islands. It's a bit more costly than using iron or the like, but the results speak for themselves. If you want to go back the the ship now, naturally you'll need to be teleported, Undellah's quite a while away. But a test model might be good to show our attorney, so maybe he should attend as well. Whatever you feel is the best plan, I'm sure His Majesty will approve it; he took the day off lazing around in the castle to see you, so I hope you realize how lucky it is to get an audience with him so easily!" Tyroth didn't seem at all bothered by the Orcess's remark; he was quite interested in what Gracie had to offer.

[New Dornalia]

The Dystans listened to Gracie's proposals. "Powerarmorbolds?" The kobolds spoke in unison. None of them were all too familiar with the concept, as Dyste lacked them and other nations would not need them in any case they had come across so far.

Tyroth did not know of power armor all too well himself, though he did get the concept behind it. "Hm, magitek is certainly something we can make, particularly with the aid of mythril. Are you aware of the metal? It is a material as strong as steel, yet much lighter. It also happens to be very receptive to magic, hence why a lot of magical items in Dyste use it. For example, Lissah's armor is made of it," he slammed his sceptre into her armor, causing a clanging sound but no damage to either her or her armor. "It would in particular be good for armor for kobolds, seeing as their little frames would not be able to carry too much weight, even with assistance from machinery."

"Did someone say 'machinery'?" James arrived, having a pair of kobolds latched into each of his arms. "Alright, alright already, I was gonna come anyways, you can stop doing that!" Whatever else, kobolds were persistent when they had a job to do. "But yeah, you've got an idea for special armor or something?"

"Of course, if weaponry is involved, James'll be into it," Lissah scoffed. "But yeah, I helped to find our main source of mythril on one of the nearby smaller islands. It's a bit more costly than using iron or the like, but the results speak for themselves. If you want to go back the the ship now, naturally you'll need to be teleported, Undellah's quite a while away. But a test model might be good to show our attorney, so maybe he should attend as well. Whatever you feel is the best plan, I'm sure His Majesty will approve it; he took the day off lazing around in the castle to see you, so I hope you realize how lucky it is to get an audience with him so easily!" Tyroth didn't seem at all bothered by the Orcess's remark; he was quite interested in what Gracie had to offer.

Gracie nodded, particularly at the mention of mythril. Mythril....if it was anything like what the Menelmacari or even the Mythrandiri had, then the tales of an ultralight substance which made titanium look like tissue paper were true and this was definitely something which needed to happen. Like, sooner rather than later. Especially with power armor. Lord knew the robot jocks down at Fort Irwin were always finding ways to cut the bulk and keep themselves lethal. Funny how things worked out, no?

The AI nodded, and replied to James, "Well, James, I was proposing to introduce you and yours to powered armor. It's a fine product for use in both peace and war, and it's essentially what the name implies--armor which involves powered assistance in movement, strength, and so on, using either artificial muscle or other mechanical means. In particular, I was proposing providing powered armor--expanding upon an idea I had on the airship we were in earlier--generally, but in particular I was inspired to try making power armor for kobolds alongside armor for use by all peoples. Possibly using that Mythril--or is it Mithril?--stuff that Tyroth mentioned. I mean, building a suit of power armor out of that would not only make for relatively easy magitek, but well, it does address some of the drawbacks such as weight problems and so on. Although I'm betting that it's not cheap....on the other hand, if one wants to make another Bucky, expense may be no object."

Gracie then stroked her chin and went, "Now, we could build a prototype using mythril. Might not be that quick though, although I do have the specs and things onboard the ship. We can replicate some of the internals on the Graciemobile--the internal frame, so on--and then the rest could be made out of mythril in an ordinary workshop/factory setting." Scribbling something else down, she added, pulling out a small tablet pc and stylus, "I could provide you a blueprint of the rough specs I've cooked up for the prototype, if you're interested. Units would be in Dornie Standard--regrettably not metric, but I can convert them easily if you wish--and I'd need some time to sketch out the proper dimensions. Especially since I did want to make a kobold-sized prototype as a demonstrator model. That will take some doing."

Gracie then added as a "sweetener," "I'd be willing to throw in some other things too--spacefaring type things. I seem to recall some interest in my spaceship, after all." She then paused and went, looking at the group, "As for payment....well, I'm sure we could work something out later on, right now, I'm focused on building the prototype." Admittedly, that mythril had piqued her interest, but she didn't want to seem too greedy now. "Now, where would I find a team, a workspace...and some mythril?"

[Dyste]

Before Tyroth could respond to any of Gracie's commentary on Mythril, power armor, and the rest, James spoke up almost immediately after Gracie finished speaking, "A team and workspace, you say? Well, my main lab's in Glaristant, but my secondary one's right around here! Hey, city! Show 'em the way!" Nothing happened. James tapped the ground, "Hey, city? C'mon, why don't you ever work for me but Draconids get you working all the bloody time?! Show those arrow things!"

Lissah sighed, "James, you gotta speak the right incantation, like with all spells. Like so..." she muttered a few words in a different language Gracie did not know, but whatever she said, a set of arrows appeared on the ground, leading them to their destination. "Neat, right? It was something one of the Sages devised, I believe he said something about not wanting his students to get lost in the big city so he created this system. I don't know how, but for some reason, only the people interested in finding the location can see the arrows, so only our group can see them; it would be rather hard to do this if all the arrows used by everyone appeared, right?"

Nevertheless, Tyroth led them in the direction of James's lab, having sent one of the kobolds away to retrieve something for him. "Naturally we cannot give you Mythril for free, but I have the feeling you are wanting to obtain some in exchange for our services. This of course can be arranged; we have plenty. But while it is quite an amazing metal, it alone cannot work miracles, craftsmanship is equally if not more important. Hopefully during your time here you can see what sorts of things that can be made with them.

When they reached the lab, it seemed far too small; it was just a small chrome hut. But when they entered, there was an elevator going down to a much larger facility, where a bunch of mechanicbolds wearing goggles were working on a type of seafaring vessel, one that could be made compact in order to fit into one's hand. "Right, so power armor stuff first?" James beckoned a handful of kobolds to follow them. "I figure we can work in the back," taking them to a room with large piles of a silvery metal. James picked up a large slab in one hand, and twirled it around. "This here's that mythril you were wanting t'see so bad. Naturally, if we need more we can order more, but I figure there's enough here to keep you satisfied for a while. To be honest, I've been wanting to work on armored suits like this for a while, but Draconids are difficult t'make for. But you may have something going with trying it for kobolds instead. Guess you gotta start small sometimes!" The mechanicbolds, for their part, looked interested at this new visitor, though confused why she was interested in seeing them.