Andlátkyn; Vandr Sanses unin Alagaësia

Tronjhiem, it's Mountain King, and a Curse

Nightmare placed another book from his vast inventory on the shelf recessed into the wall of his room, feeling at home with the several hundred books ranging across the genres around him. He was lucky he always kept his books in his inventory. They stayed with him when he fell into the Void. In a way, that meant a huge chunk of history from across the Multiverse had been saved- by him, it would survive in Alagaësia. He would have Error copy their code later, so he could keep this library and still have them in his inventory as well.

There was a knock on the door. Confused, Nightmare glanced in it's direction, realizing he wasn't familiar with the aura on the other side. Straightening, he faced the new mind and opened the door with blue magic.

It was a strange, pale orange fire elemental with piercing blue eyes and a dark red and gold dress with long sleeves that ended at the knees.

"Hello, Nightmare! I've been waiting for you." She spoke pleasantly.
"Who are you?" He questioned suspiciously.
"No one of importance here." She waved her hand. "I wanted to tell you about Tronjhiem and all that. Do you mind?" She gestured outside. Nightmare tensely left the room, locking the door behind him with the key he'd found.
"Well?" He asked, noting that Error was there, looking a little dazed and confused.

"Geez, why so edgy with me." It wasn't really a question. "Relax, Alalëa. Alagaësia has accepted you."
"How did you know that?" She snirked. "I know everything, Zíllandr Cicállaé." She said drily. "Just trust me. Can ya trust someone for once?"
He balked at her knowledge, but remained silent. She waved her hand and began walking.

"Don't you want to know more about Tronjhiem and the Varden?"
"Sure, but I have yet to know your name."
With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she looked at him. "Which one?" Nightmare glared. "A name. I don't care which one you want." She tsked. "Takin' all the fun outta it. Call me Sinead." They were going downstairs, reaching the floor below. Sinead paused at the landing. "Well? Any questions?"

"Fine, I'll bite. Why is most of Tronjhiem abandoned?" Error asked. She tilted her head. "Well, Orik explained that dwarves prefer to live fully underground. But I should elaborate. It's been argued that Tronjhiem should just be deserted entirely, for it's only a drain on outside resources. But it does serve a purpose. In times of rauthr, misfortune, it can literally contain the whole of the dwarf nation. And it has been used to do exactly that in the past. Three times. And each time, it saved the Dvergrya from total annihilation. So they always keep it garrisoned. Magnificent, isn't it?"

They blinked. "What the hell was the danger?" Error muttered. "Never mind, I don't want to know." "How many humans in the Varden are here?" Nightmare quested. "Ah, that is a little more depressing!" She said in a deceptively light voice. Then she sighed. "Four thousand men and women are in Tronjhiem, though it's only the people who are willing to fight. All the rest are under King Orrin's protection down in Surda. Hot place. My kinda place. Ahem. Anyway, don't worry about the small numbers, Orrin promised troops for the direct assult, as have the elves and the dwarves."

"That sounds like a lot." Error mumbled. "It is. Should be enough to stand against Galbatorix's army, the Royal Army being about 16 thousand." They frowned. Those were indeed unpleasant numbers. Then Error pointed out. "Why doesn't Galbatorix attack Surda himself? Or Surda show open hostility? Is it cowardly, or just lazy?" He started harsh, but his tone lost it's edge at the end.

"Because he sees them as a minor threat, which they rely on. As it is, Orrin supply's the Varden with food and weapons, particularly nonperishables. Galbatorix would end them if they tried attacking him as of now."
"Hhmm."

Error glanced down at the distant floor. Both skeletons were thinking as Sinead leaned against the wall. The glitch pointed down at the floor, then pulled himself up and faced the fire elemental. "What's with the engraving down there? It was on Orik's hat, too." Nightmare peeked over the railing to see what the other spoke about.