The day after I had finished my training to sixth circle I went to see my friend Fafnir in the great library. I found him buried behind a pile of books and scrolls. He smiled and came around the desk to greet me. I produced a couple of crocks of his favorite Ale. We sat down to talk and have a drink.

I had come to Fafnir to ask him to train me in the skills of research, evidence analysis, search, and dragon lore. When we first met we had gotten off on the wrong foot. I did not understand Fafnir and his book learned ways. With a little bit of world experience under my belt I had learned the power that could be gained from the knowledge in these books. I would not become some spell caster, but I could learn from the experiences of others. We talked of old stories and Fafnir lost me with his talk of the research in to the Book of Tomorrow he had done.

After we finished the first crock of ale and Fafnir was pouring out the second I asked Fafnir if he was willing to train me in the skills I was looking for. Fafnir’s eyes went wide. My first thought was that I had insulted him. He then burst in to laughter and exclaimed that he would be happy to train me.

He started to grab some of the books off of his desk and mark pages. He handed me six large tomes and told me to read the parts he had marked. He then game me a smaller book and told me to read it and keep it on me. I opened it and found out it was a refence book to where to find things in the library complete with a map. Holy Crap it was bigger than I thought.

I was still lost in the small book when Fafnir asked me something that snapped me back to the present. He wanted to know if he could go with us on the Stag. I was shocked I had thought with the returning of the book of tomorrow that he would never leave the library again. He had sacrificed so much to find it and make sure that it made it back to the great library.

I did not ask him why he wanted to go. I knew that Dremnin,Vridich, Suulin, and Urgral would be fine with his traveling with us. I would just have to convince Dagmar and Stilicho that he should fly with us. I looked at Fafnir and told him that I would make it happen.

Fafnir was so excited by the prospect of going out on the ship that he gave me a seventh book to read through by morning. It was at this point that I was not sure what I had gotten myself in to.

On the way out of the library I found Mika sitting where I had instructed her to be. I handed her my back filled with heavy tomes. She almost collapsed under the weight of the pack. We are going to see Dagmar I told her then we will have to go back to the Nial, so that I can study. Are you ready to start your training for second circle? He face beamed. Yes master she said. I smiled we will have to start that this week I said.

We headed out to the forge where Dagmar was a member. I could see the big troll pounding hot metal with a hammer. We walked in to the forge. Where you expected the shade of the ceiling over head to provide cool shade but it got even hotter from the heat of the forge. Dagmar pounded on the sword that he was working on with such concentration. Several of the other smiths greeted me.

I asked the Forge master if someone could take out my Initive booster out and put it in Mika. Mika’s jaw dropped open. I looked at her you do want it don’t you. She jumped and giggled and proclaimed yes. I was laughing on the inside I knew how much it hurt. She would not be laughing like that soon. He called over a young human and we went off to a quiet corner. Having that charm taken out hurt about as much as putting it in. Mika yelped when the smith poked the charm in to her flesh. Other than that she took it well.

After that I waited for Dagmar to have a moment. Mika found a place in the shade outside the forge. She was looking at the charm and poking at it gingerly. I gave her some water she looked a little pale.

There was a young female ork working the bellows of Dagmar’s forge. She watched me but paid more attention to what she was doing. Dagmar put the sword back in to the coals and looked at her and told her to pump it slowly to heat the metal deeply.

He turned back to me and granted me with a grin. I first talked to him about Fafnir being on the boat. As I had expected he did not care either way. I then tasked him about getting my tail mace reforged there time. He said that would be no problem.

While I was taking it off the tail mace I asked about the girl helping him. He said that he had taken on a new apprentice named Bregna. I joked that it looked like he need to feed her, she was very thin. I could tell that she was listening without looking. She tried to puff herself up to look bigger. I laughed. Bregna I said, she looked, has he let you work on anything yet. She shook her head yes. I tossed her the tail mace. I knew that Dagmar would make sure that it was done right. Reforge this for me would you I asked, the shock shown on her face. I want it done three times I said. I’ll be back in a month for it and we will settle on a price then. Alright I asked. She did her best to look confident. Sure she said.

I smiled at Dagmar try not to let her melt it down would you? He smiled back and said it will be okay. I wished him luck on his new sword and headed hack for an evening of book reading.

Ardor Zomay S’krang
Thane of Throal
6th Circle Tail Dancer
Quester of Flourannus