The Court of the King in Rags

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

Thariza backed away slightly at the sudden transformation and is now eyeing the King even more warily than before. The King... sighs? It's a strange sound.

"I am the only one left. Only the Gentry can call themselves kings among us. And the other Gentry are gone."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"You seem disappointed by this." Ambrosia couldn't really miss that sigh. "Wouldn't that mean you're the only one with a claim at the title? Since you never explained what it really meant to be king to you. Why would the others give up on it if it means so much to you?"

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"As I said, the other Gentry are gone. Asleep or locked away. I do not know. They may yet call themselves kings in the Fairest of Lands, but they are lost forever to this world." The King's eyes bore into Ambrosia. "My title is one of a contrast. I am a king, but I wear rags. Because I am a king of things feared and forgotten."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"Yes, your title struck me as something like that." Ambrosia nods. "But then, do you remain here since you are trapped or by choice since the others have all left?"

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"I remain here by choice. My ambitions bind me to the mortal world. The others preferred to remain in the Fairest of Lands. Now it is irreversible." He's not telling the whole truth, but neither is he outright lying. "The world has moved on."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"The world has moved on, but you miss them. Since it seems to me that they are the only beings you consider to be your equals. Is that a fair assumption to make?" Ambrosia inquires, finding it a bit ironic that they had a lot in common.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"Miss them?" The King sounds surprised, if that's possible. "We were not friends, or allies. Beings such as we cannot afford it. But... you're not wrong, inquisitive scholar. Having no one else on equal footing with mine gives me a certain sense of nostalgia. For the world that was."

Thariza makes a grumbling noise that indicates she finds his reasoning suspect, but says nothing.

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"The world that was? Mind elaborating on that? I've never actually heard about this concept before." Ambrosia prods as she scrawls some notes in the tome she's carrying.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"It is difficult to explain. It is, in some ways, like explaining colors to one who cannot see, or cannot discern colors." The King in Rags sounds wistful, nostalgic. But is he truly? Or is it an act? Fey put on masks and affectations so easily. "I speak of the world as it existed because the Fairest of Lands receded and the other outer realms followed suit. It was so much brighter, louder, more intense. We Gentry could enter it, as did the most potent of giants or demons. Even mortals could use their skills and arts to reach so much greater heights than now. Scribbling in the mud as they are. The dwarven sorcerers believe themselves clever now, but could they but see what wonders they waved once..."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"But it didn't last. Why?" Ambrosia was reminded by the aether in how vibrant the 'king' made out this fairest land to be. Yet it still sounded like a physical place as mortals and fey could coexist within it.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"In truth, I do not know. Or I do not remember." A smooth lie that contains just enough truth. "I was in the mortal world, then. Or most of me was, at least. And when the Fairest of Lands were pulled back, I could not stay there. I fell. Perhaps the mortal world couldn't withstand the other realms acting openly upon it. Or the betrayal of the Gol-Kin weakened it."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

A lot of speculation there. "Gol-kin?" Ambrosia prods as she tilts her head to the side.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"They are called goblins, orcs and hobgoblins now." The King's voice takes on a dangerous edge. "Though hobgoblins appear to be merely an offshoot of goblinkind. They are all traitors. In the time before, they were half-fey, half-mortal creatures, born of mortal soil and the blood of the Gentry. They betrayed us and chose the mortal world. The Wyrd doesn't take such things lightly."

Thariza is getting some serious Flame Legion vibes right now, but she won't say it out loud. That probably wouldn't be wise.

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"What do you think made them choose the mortal world before the wyrd if they had experienced both? Since you make the wyrd sound so much greater." Ambrosia inquires, as he has already answered the previous questions he might as well answer this one now.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

Yes, why didn't they stay with this charming, charismatic guy? If Thariza had worked for this guy she'd have taken the first opportunity to bolt and never come back. Which isn't easy to admit for someone used to obeying orders. But she obeyed orders from officers, not... a scarecrow. The King, on his part, is silent for a time.

"Their mortal half must have pulled them towards the mortal realm in a way I cannot understand. Perhaps if I'd understood it then I could have prevented it from happening. But I did not."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

Thariza must learn that the interviews answers were far more important than their own assumptions.

"Do you believe you've learned from this mistake? If so, what kind of lessons have you drawn from it?" Her wording might come off as excessively academic but if it sounded like she was reading these questions from a book out of memory then she distanced herself from the question. There was a time to be personal and there was a time to be impersonal and this situation called for the latter according to Ambrosia's thinking.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

The light in the King's eyes intensifies again, briefly.

"My fall taught me to pick my servants and allies more carefully," he says. It... doesn't sound like a genuine answer. His tone doesn't change, but it's trite, isn't it? "I counted on the loyalty of those I should not have and it cost me. I won't make this mistake again."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

If Ambrosia seems skeptical of the truthfulness of the King's statement, she doesn't show it. Instead she gives him a small nod as another note is made in her notebook. "Interesting, since I've heard that you have a dragon as an ally." Though how she possibly could have learned this is brushed aside it seems. "Is this true? Since that must be quite a dangerous ally."

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"Curious. I have not advertised my dragon," the King in Rags observes in a casual manner. But the glow in his eyes dims just a little for a moment. "It's a beast that serves me. I awoke it from deep slumber. It couldn't exist in the mortal world until I came back to call on it. In the world that was, we Gentry created dragons out of wind and fire."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

Ambrosia waves her hand dismissively. "I've talked to a lot of dragons and I usually ask them where I can find more of them for more interviews. I can't say how they knew about your dragon unfortunately."

She makes a note. "But you're saying that your people make and control all dragons within your world then? Interesting. Have you ever encountered a dragon from another world and attempted to control them?"

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"I have not. I am well aware it wouldn't work." The King's answer is quick and confident. "Controlling the dragon is also no mean feat as it is. It's a furnace of raging elements. Stretching myself too thin was a mistake I made once and will not make again."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"A good lesson to learn." Ambrosia agrees with a nod as she makes another quick note in her tome. "However, as I am a dragon scholar I simply have to ask this and I hope it doesn't come as a surprise, but may I see this dragon you've mentioned?"

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"A curious request." Thariza looks over at Ambrosia nervously. "The dragon is a weapon I prefer to keep close to my chest. What would you give me in return for being able to see it?"

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"I'm not sure what sort of thing you would want in exchange for that. I doubt you would accept mortal money for one and I'm told that it's a bad idea to owe a favor to a fey." Ambrosia says this with a smile as if this more of a joke than anything else.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

The King's branches sway in the invisible wind as he regards Ambrosia.

"You have learned much from me and ask to see more. I would accept some lore or information you have gathered yourself. It's only fair, isn't it?"

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"I've not answered any questions as you've not given me any." Ambrosia clarifies with a gesture at the 'king' as to signify it was his own responsibility to attain knowledge. "But if you ask I will answer. Such is the way of the scholar after all, to not only attain knowledge but to share it with the world."

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

Ambrosia is being a lot bolder with this creepy skull-guy than Thariza would be. If he chooses to take offence at something, do they have any hope besides running away?

"Why the interest in dragons? They're not a safe object of study. And most mortals I've met would rather steer clear of anything involving them."

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"That's not the impression I had when I started. Where I'm from dragons are seen as noble and wise beings. Indeed, a dragon once even ruled the empire I'm from. Thus I came to the nexus with different expectations when it came to dragons than most people here seem to have. It have taken time to adapt but I've learned to carefully choose my subjects of study as to assure my own safety. Some are better left from afar of course." Ambrosia explains and then pause as she seem to wait for more questions.

[Morty]

[A Murky Swamp]

"What made you chose dragons as your field of study, then?" the King asks. Thariza already knows the answer, but she doubts Ambrosia will give him the full story.

[Shadowcaller]

[A Murky Swamp]

"The study of dragons is the study of power and the noble families which trace their origin back to them. Therefore, to be able to display the roots leading back to the dragons of old is a way to reinforce your own family line so it isn't considered unusual for any noble to take interest in the subject. However, to me its more than just that. When I was young I feel ill. I don't remember much of it but my parents claim that I had already joined the ancestors when I was miraculously brought back by a vial of what they claimed to be dragon essence."

She gestures at her horns.

"I've carried their mark ever since. Yet despite this my family have told me very little about how they got their hands on this essence so I've decided to dedicate my life to study dragons in hopes of finding more about the majestic rulers that brought me back from the dead."