EPISODE SEVEN: Some Necessary Background Info

As planned, the party awoke early the next morning and prepared to head to Laurenstown, in Morgura Prefecture.... a 5-hour drive from Dale Gorge in Sabretooth Prefecture. As everyone was packing their things into TRITHAL and Danika's decent-sized SUV (since THRAX's car is a piece of shit that most-likely wouldn't even make it to the Prefectural border... let alone all the way to Laurenstown), AXEM's cell phone rang. AXEM stepped away from the group as he carried the conversation on his phone, as if what was being discussed was something that was urgent and private... or something. After about 5 minutes of feverish conversing, AXEM rejoined the group.

AXEM: "Uh, guys... you can go on ahead. I gotta take off."

TRITHAL: "Why? Where are you going?"

THRAX: "Yeah! We just got back together!"

AXEM: "It would take too long to explain. I need to get as far away from here as soon as possible. I'll yee with you all later. BHUUYYYYEEE!!!!"

And with that goofy exit, AXEM jumps in THRAX's car and speeds away... leaving a trail of black smoke and various car parts behind.

After the stun of AXEM's hastened exit wore off, THRAX said, "What the hell?! He just jacked my car!"

TRITHAL: "Are you really gonna miss it? Besides, I wonder what's up with him, anyway. Why would he up and bail on us all-of-a-sudden?"

THRAX: "Pfft! Beats the hell outta me! He must've gotten himself into some more chick trouble or something."

TRITHAL: "Who knows? Maybe we'll find out sometime later on..."

With that, TRITHAL, Danika, THRAX, and Anri loaded up in the SUV and headed south. During the long car ride, the group engaged in further discussion about the recent turn of events in the Land of Fantasy...

TRITHAL (in a cheesy "intro to an explanation" manner): "Hey Thrax! It would appear that this new turn of events has something to do with each of us individually. I think we could all benefit from a brief explanation about the Draconians, or Myrmadons, or whatever. What all have you learned about the Draconians and such during this past year?"

THRAX: "Well, first let me just give you a brief history lesson before I begin. I've been studying a lot of the ancient texts that Gwharlihim has in his attic. According to what I read, there are 4 basic ages of known existence in this Land of Fantasy. The First age is commonly known as the Dragon Age, which started about 27,000 years ago and lasted 17,000 years. Xanatos was born during this age, by the way."

TRITHAL: (as if only half-assed paying attention) "mmmm, yeah yeah, uh-huh uh-huh. Go on..."

THRAX kicks the back of TRITHAL's seat for interrupting, then continues, "...Then, we have the Second Age commonly known as the Legend Age, or Time of Legends as some call it... in which the Elves were more prevalent. It began right as the Dragon Age ended and lasted 4,000 years. Thirdly was the Third Age... or time before the common age... in which mankind began to emerge as a dominant race. That age also lasted 4000 years. Now we enter our current age... the Fourth, or Common Age... in which mankind has ultimately asserted it's dominance over the other races. The Land of Fantasy has been in this age for almost 2000 years now. With the rise and fall of various civilizations and governments and what-not during this age, there have also been many sub-ages, or 'Eras' along the way... like the Nengo Era which we are in right now."

Danika: "... and most of our written history begins at the start of the Nengo Era, so we're already familiar with what's been happening since that point."

Anri (all fidgety): "Damn, I gotta pee!"

THRAX: "You just did right before we left! Now you gotta go again? You aren't pregnant or something, are you?"

Anri (laughing nervously): "No, of course not! I just drank too much pop today."

TRITHAL: "Well, there's a rest stop up ahead. I need to stretch my legs anyway."

After about 2 hours of driving they cross the Vermilion River, which separates the prefectures of Sabretooth and Morgura. TRITHAL pulls off the highway and into a rest stop that sits on the south shore of the river... then the occupants of the vehicle all get out and stretch their legs and whatever else they need to do. Right now would be an ideal time for any reader/listener/player to go to the bathroom, get something to drink/eat now because this next part is goin' to be kinda long...

Smilin' Bob: "Damn! I gotta whiz, too! Sumimasen..."

---INTERMISSION---
----READERS!!!----
----THIS IS AN----
---INTERMISSION---
-------TAKE-------
-ADVANTAGE OF IT--
-----AND WALK-----
-------AWAY-------

Smilin' Bob: "Ah, much better! ...Damn! Half the audience has left and not returned! That seex!"

Okay, after about 20 minutes, everyone has finished with their 'business' and is getting ready to board the SUV again.

TRITHAL: "Hey, Danika... you feel like driving for a while?"

Danika: "Sure, why not?"

After they decided where they were gonna sit on this leg of the trip, everyone boarded the SUV, and the group continued south down the 2-lane highway to Laurenstown.

THRAX: "Alright, boys and girls! You ready for more informative information?"

TRITHAL (as he pulls his hat down over his face as if to take a snooze break): "No, but go ahead anyway."

THRAX: "Okay. Here goes. The dragons ruled over most of the Land of Fantasy for almost 17,000 years. They were the protectors of the weaker races, which mostly consisted of the humans and the elves. Back in the Third Age, humans and elves began to unite and inter-breed. The elves felt it necessary to do this to sustain their own race... but that's a whole other story. Anyway, eventually the humans and elves rose up against the dragons that protected them. Apparently the humans and elves felt the dragons held too much power, and the humans (being the self-righteous conceited beings they are) decided the dragons had to go. The resulting war raged on for almost 300 years until the dragons eventually surrendered global control over to the humans and elves.... thus beginning the 4th Age. Before all this shit went down, there were millions of beautiful dragons roaming everywhere. But as a result of the war and the difficult times that followed, their numbers have dwindled down to almost extinction. Those few that remain have disappeared into exile. They are currently scattered throughout the vast Dark Labyrinth in the Badlands Valley. The last dragon lord left, Gwharlihim, took me there as a part of training. It was quite an interesting experience."

Danika: "So then for all this time the Draconians have harbored this much resentment against the humans for their bullshit. I can't understand why... Whenever I get super-pissed at Tsutaru, it usually only lasts for a week.... then we're fucking again and are happy."

THRAX: "Goddamn! I don't need to know that!"

TRITHAL, who up until now seemed like he was zoned out and not paying attention to anything being said, pulls his hat up off of his face and says, "This goes deeper than one's 'monthly cycle'... It was humanity's greed and desire for power that ultimately led to the Draconian downfall. And now that mankind has flourished to the level they have these past 300 years, the dragon clans are obviously pissed about it. If I were a Draconian Lord, I would want to punish the humans for their arrogance, too."

Danika: "So would you punish yourself, too? You're human now, remember?"

TRITHAL: "Oh... right... I forgot."

The group engaged in further random discussion as they continued to Laurenstown... stopping a couple more times on the way to pee and find something to eat. Finally, seven hours after they left Dale Gorge, they arrive at the Trithal residence at 503 Black Car Place, Village of Lauresntown, East Valley Parish, Valleys of Morgura Prefecture. It's now about an hour before sunset.