Omen: 1, 10

Sonarot fed the Goblins, while the Dragons scarfed down the meat before them, tearing into it ravenously. The loud chewing sounds unsettled Lanarot, who climbed on top of Adam and held him close while he fed her.

“My kids are so damn cute,” Adam said.

“I did not expect you to have five children before the year’s end,” Vonda admitted. Deep within her heart she felt almost relieved Adam could still surprise her, something almost everyone else felt too.

“Aren’t I lucky?” Adam replied, smiling at his friends.

The smile was genuine, but they could see something on his face. It was a tension they had never seen before. Adam had felt different ever since losing to the stranger they had met.

No.

Everyone had been different every since they had come across that man. However, Adam now had something else to worry about. He, who had lost everything, now, finally, had something he could realistically lose.

“Will you have time to make an inn when you have such cute children?” Vonda asked.

Adam smiled. “I have to make the inn because now I have a family to support.”

Vonda returned with a smile, though it was hidden behind her scarf. “With how much gold you have already made?”

“Dragon children are hard to raise, Vonda,” Adam said. “I have to make sure they each have at least ten thousand gold before they turn twenty.”

“That is so long away.” Vonda was certain Adam could make thirty thousand gold in a single year considering his ability with enchanting.

“What do you mean it’s so long away? It’s only twenty years. Twenty years, Vonda.” Adam may have been a Half Elf, but he sounded more like a full blooded Elf.

“Of course,” Vonda said.

Naqokan was staring at the children. She had given Adam some space for some time, but to think he had managed to gain five children so quickly. She frowned, but seeing how Adam cared for his children, she couldn’t help but smile.

Elder Zijin arrived during breakfast, taking a bite of the food, which numbed his lips. “I should take the little Dragons away so they can be checked up.”

Adam lifted his children up in his arms. “Daddy’s going to miss you all, but we have to make sure you’re all healthy. Be good for everyone, okay?”

The Dragons purred up towards him sadly, which caused Adam to almost keel over in pain, the pain of allowing them to leave his arms.

“They will be in good hands,” Zijin assured, before he reached out to take them.

The Dragons looked up towards Adam, who brushed their heads, and slowly handed them to the Elder. “You don’t have to worry, my little babbies. Elder Zijin is a great guy, you can trust him.”

The Dragons continued to purr sadly, but they climbed on top of Elder Zijin, almost like cats. Their talons clutched at his clothing, two of the Dragons against his arms, the last wrapped around his shoulders. They looked to their father with sad eyes.

Wisdom Save

D20 + 3 = 12 (9)

“I’ll carry them,” Adam finally said, before the Dragons quickly leapt over to him, and clung to him.

“Okay,” Zijin said, sighing, but allowing Adam to take them. He led the group forward, making his way through the tunnels of the Iyr, to where Entalia was.

The Dragons leapt up onto their mother, and purred happily, though she did not give them the satisfaction of her affection.

“Make sure you be good for mama,” Adam said, brushing their heads tenderly.

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“I can’t be their mother, Adam,” Entalia said, eyeing up Elder Zijin.

“Be their mother for the next few days, before you leave,” Adam said. “Please, Entalia.”

“I can’t.”

Adam frowned. ‘How strong do I need to be in order to…’ He let the thought go, thinking about how strong the Iyr was, and what secrets it may hold. ‘I should focus on integrating into the Iyr. Should I marry into it?’

The Half Elf left the Dragons be, going to enchant.

Meanwhile, Sonarot had gone to the Rot family estate, taking Lanarot with her so she could play with her extended family.

“You want us to accept Adam’s children into the family?” Mulrot, the Family Elder, asked.

Sonarot sipped her tea, before placing down her cup. “Yes.”

“Are you sure it is not a whim of his?” Mulrot was trying to navigate this as cautiously as she could, but it was a troublesome matter when it came to Adam.

“Does it matter?” Sonarot replied, staring into Mulrot’s eyes, wondering if she would dare to deny it.

Mulrot was at a loss at the response, especially with how firm Sonarot was. “Have you already accepted them?”

“Of course.”

“Why?”

“I must.”

“Why must you?”

Sonarot thought about how much she should say, not wanting to reveal too many of Adam’s secrets. “The Iyr is a stable foundation, and it always has been for we Iyrmen.”

Sonarot looked into her tea, seeing her reflection. “I grew up within these walls, with my family to guide me, and the Iyr to support me whenever I required it. I learnt the sword when I was a girl, as a Gek should, but I learnt the other weapons too. I was one of the few Rage Dancers of my family, and I could only do so because I was within the Iyr. I learnt the axe too, of course, and when I was a woman, with my own child, I knew he would grow up well.”

Mulrot sipped her own drink, the same tea she had poured for Sonarot, though her own had been sweetened slightly more. She, too, had grown up well, and it was only thanks to the Iyr. She, who had not been born a Rot, was the Rot Family Elder, and Sonarot, who had not been born a Rot, was the Rot Family Head. Sonarot’s daughter did not known her father, and yet there was no doubt that the girl would grow well, only because of the Iyr.

“For Adam, whose life is so unstable, what should I do other than to be his stable foundation?” Sonarot asked.

Mulrot did know Adam’s story, though she was certain there was something more to the Half Elf. Yet, she did not pry, because it was not good to pry into such things. “If you are willing to go so far I do not need to accept them.”

“You must,” Sonarot urged. “I am not the only member of the Rot family. They do not know him as Jurot and I do. He has not yet asked us to accept them and yet I am sure he already feels as though he is taking advantage of us.”

“Is he not?”

“He leaves to adventure, and returns with gifts for our families. He, who saved my Jurot’s life, has allowed my son to become an Expert so quickly. He, who has shared his knowledge with our Churot, the Iyr’s first Scribe Mage. He, who has supported Kitool and Jaygak, even handing my niece a weapon which is considered to be Legendary.”

Mulrot sighed. There was nothing she could say to refute Sonarot’s words. “It will be difficult for them to accept it when he chooses to remain so distant with the Iyr.”

“He chooses to remain distant with the Iyr, but not with our family,” Sonarot corrected. “I am certain they will accept the matter once they know Adam as I do.”

“I cannot make such a promise,” Mulrot replied.

Adam returned in the evening to see his Goblin children, both of whom were sleeping silently in their baskets. They were so small, smaller than any of the children here, who were growing so quickly.

‘Stronger,’ Adam thought. ‘Stronger.’

Jurot returned with Jaygak and Kitool, who had begun working the same day Adam had decided to enchant for the Iyr. They worked hard on chopping down wood for the Iyr’s expansion.

“There’s nothing like a hot spicy pepper after working hard,” Jaygak said, biting down into a pepper.

“There’s nothing like coming back home to my adorable kids after working hard,” Adam retorted.

Jaygak narrowed her eyes at him, wondering why he was starting a fight. “I’d rather eat this pepper than your children.”

“What do you mean you…” Adam stopped. “No, wait…” He furrowed his brows at her while she smirked. “Well, yeah?”

“Have you thought of their names?” Kitool asked.

“No,” Adam admitted. “I’m not really sure what to name them. I don’t want them to name them anything cringe, so I’ve been thinking about it for a while. Plus, they’re Goblins, so I’m not sure how to name them. Do you guys have any ideas?”

Jurot wiped his mouth after he was done sipping his soup. He thought for a moment, and it all felt so dirty. It was not because they were Goblins, since he did not care for their race, as they were Adam’s children. However, the Goblins would bring no glory to the Rot family when they would be adopted into it. He did not care, since they were Adam’s children, and his nephew and niece, but there were special considerations to take into account.

Jurot, for once, had to politic. “Jirot for the girl, Jarot for the boy.”

Everyone had heard the words, from Adam’s companions, to the Iyrmen nearby.

“I can’t name them after the Rot family,” Adam said, quickly, suddenly being drowned in his nerves.

“Why not?”

“I’m not a member of the Rot family.”

Jurot crossed his arms. “Are they not my niece and nephew?”

“Well, yeah, but…” Adam could feel it, the gazes of the Iyrmen about him. He swallowed, trying to think about how to deal with the situation. He was a Nephew of the Rot family, sure, but the only members he was really close with were Jurot and Sonarot.

There was Nirot, Turot, and Jarot too, though he was not quite as close with them. Not just that, but to name a child after Jurot’s grandfather, it felt awkward. It was a blatant way of saying he was going to stick to the family.

“Adam,” Jurot said, calmly. “You think too much.”