vast office materialises before you. A varnished wooden desk near a far wall is almost completely covered in various scrolls and tomes.

Alarin Rian bounds onto the stage, completely oblivious to the fact that there is an audience watching them.

Alarin Rian says, "Now where did I put those...--"

Alarin Rian begins searching through the mess on the desk, then freezes a moment later as they catch a glimpse of the audience out of the side of their eye.

Alarin Rian blinks in surpise, now noticing the audience for the first time.

Offering a lopsided grin, Alarin Rian says, "Why hello there!"

Partially directing their next comment towards the backstage area, Alarin Rian exclaims, "I'd had no idea we were starting now!"

From the backstage area, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "I did!"

Yelling exasperatedly, Alarin Rian retorts, "Well, why didn't you tell me?!"

His voice drawing nearer, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "You didn't ask!"

Alarin's paw strikes their forehead with a resounding *smack!*

Waving a paw dismissively as they face the audience once more, Alarin Rian says, "Anywho! Today, I would like to tell you all a story. It involves a young Magnagoran whose name I shall not say."

Alarin Rian says, "We shall instead call him 'Little Bobby'."

Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "...you should call him 'Little Jack'. Short for 'jacka'--"

Cutting in, Alarin Rian says, "Thaldorn! Language!!"

Thaldorn snickers to himself.

Completely ignoring their silverback companion, Alarin Rian says, "As I was saying... I managed to meet this 'Little Bobby' upon the Astrosphere of Capricorn one day..."

The Astrosphere of Capricorn shimmers onto the stage around both Alarin and Thaldorn. A third companion, a muscular dwarf wearing a wooden peg in place of a leg and a giant warhammer strapped to his back, joins them.

From offstage, Alarin Rian says, "As is usual for us, Thaldorn and I were hunting upon the Astral Plane--"

Also narrating from the backstage area, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "...because a certain panda wasn't watching his power reserves. Again."

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "Pfff! Anywho, we had just cleared a wave of astral monstrosities when Little Bobby appeared at the node."

A young viscanti strides into view from the northeast.

Alarin blinks in surprise at the new arrival.

Little Bobby grins mischievously at Alarin Rian.

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "Now, those who know me know that I am very welcoming to any who wish to join my hunts--"

Joining in on the storytelling from backstage, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "Sometime boss be a litto TOO nice!"

Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "...he needs to get meaner, if you ask me!"

Exasperated, Alarin Rian says, "All right you two!"

As they begin channeling more of the wild astral energies into themselves, Alarin Rian says to Little Bobby, "Why hello there! You're welcome to join us if you'd like!"

The narration continuing, Alarin Rian says, "I was very willing to let this young one join us too! For one, he was not an enemy of New Celest or any of our allied organisations from what I could see."

Alarin Rian says, "Secondly, he was still young. How he even came to be up here with us, I wish I knew!"

Alarin Rian says, "I was actually prepared to induct him into a squad and protect him as best I could. Honest!"
Continuing, Alarin Rian says, "But then he did this..."

Little Bobby places his hands upon the Astral node and also begins channeling its wild energies.

Peering at Little Bobby, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "Uh, kiddo... you don't want to do that. Trust me."

Also peering at Little Bobby through his one good eye, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "Uh... dis fricka serious or what?!"

Little Bobby's grin grew even wider as he glanced at Alarin Rian.

From the scene on the stage, Alarin Rian says to Thaldorn Thornfist, the White, "...Thaldorn, please gust him."

Nodding, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says to Little Bobby, "Sorry, kiddo."

Flapping his wings furiously, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White creates a gust of wind that slams into Little Bobby.
Little Bobby is hurled to the northeast.

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "Now, I thought this would be the end of it. However..."

Little Bobby enters from the northeast.

Offering another wide grin, Little Bobby once more begins to channel the latent Astral energies into themselves.

Uncertainly, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says to Alarin Rian, "Want me to gust him again?"

Alarin Rian shrugs helplessly.

Considering Little Bobby carefully, Alarin Rian says, "It most likely won't help if he keeps coming back here."

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "Now, we could have simply left and that would have been that. But then..."

A loud clattering heralds the arrival of several stainless steel goats, having been drawn to the location by the linked energies.

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "Whether it was rude of him or not, I was not about to just leave a young lad to die, as mis-guided as their actions may have been."

Turning to Thaldorn, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "...two hunnert t'ousand say dis bugga die befoa da next wave come!"

Grinning at Kamalei, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "No way the panda lets him die that fast. I give it until the third wave at least!"

Alarin Rian stares blankly at both the silverback and the dwarf.

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "I couldn't believe it... these two were really placing wagers on how quickly Little Bobby would

Their voice one of incredulity, Alarin Rian says, "...are you two really doing this right now?!"

Thaldorn and Kamalei give each other a grin similar to the one Little Bobby had given Alarin.

Raising both hands innocently, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "What...?"

His eyes shifting from side to side, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "I no can help, boss! I gotta win mah gold back foa da last couple bet I wen lose!"

Narrating, Alarin Rian says, "While I attempted to keep Little Bobby alive until he hopefully came to his senses, I could overhear Thaldorn and Kamalei now making fun of this poor fellow."
#wait 15000

Grinning, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "Let's put up some walls made of ice in case the little bloke DOES try to run now!"

Chortling, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "Dis sucka not even going make um out da room wit'out us doing dat!"

Almost shouting now, Alarin Rian says, "All right you two, enough--"

And then it happened.

Alarin watches in horror as Little Bobby suddenly slumps to the ground, now being trampled underfoot by the charging goats made of stainless steel.

Nudging Thaldorn, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "I win, bubs. Pay up!"

The scene fades from view briefly.

The stage alights once more, the vast office re-appearing before you.

Alarin Rian was glaring at their two companions.

Pointing at Kamalei, Thaldorn Thornfist, the White says, "...hey, don't look at me! HE started that!"

Grinning at Thaldorn, Kamalei Ironhammer says, "Eh! No get mad 'cause you wen lose, bubs!"

Alarin Rian sighs, a paw draped over their face as they shake their head.

Shrugging helplessly, Alarin Rian says, "...it could have been worse, I suppose."

Brightening at Alarin's words, Kamalei Ironhamer says, "Yah, coulda been! Mebbe it be Miss Aeldra he try do dat to. Moa fast he die!"

Alarin's response of "OI!" echoes throughout the stage as the curtains draw to a close.