The Mishaps of Knovas Episode 7: The Mishmash with Markolmid, the God of Exploration

Hello, denizens of Myrthol! I, Knovas, God of Logic and Keeper of Time, am about to embark upon a whole new mission, one submitted not by any God, but by you, my loyal supporters! This mission is an odd sort, unique in its design, and understandable as to why no mortal has partaken in this undertaking: the World Rings. 

Salutations, children of the land of Etemburo! Markolmid, your God of Exploration and Keeper of the Compass (that’sa me, by the way), shall commence with a quest submitted by popular demand amongst the Mortals of Etemburo, my chosen! The World Rings, great boundaries surrounding this world of Torbafice, held both Mortals and Gods captive with awe, and we're going to find out why!

First, dear denizens, we must find a way up to the Rings! Now, I could do this in my Godly form, and report the findings to everyone, but I feel that all of you want to see the results for yourselves, from my eye to my prophets; with their confirmations and shared visions, all shall know the truth. Now, just to be clear, I never explored the Rings; my investments have been in the gathering and absorbing of knowledge here on Torbafice, amongst my people and people around the world. 

Now, children of Etemburo, the dilemma is the destination and how to showcase the extraordinary event. As a Godly form’a, I could sail upon the Rings and just tell you what I have seen. But where is the fun in that? I say unto you, show don’t tell! With my power of Cartography, I shall have maps around Etemburo drawn by my mind translated to page, to be witnessed by the explorers and innovators and shared for all, each map’a bearing my personal insignia for posterity! Understand’a, the Rings have eluded my eyes as I have committed to the discovering of new places alongside the Mortals – indirectly, of course. 

What to do, what to do?

Thinking’a, thinking’a…

I’VE GOT IT!

I HAVE IT!

Denizens of Myrthol, I have the answer! Forgonamod, the God of Inventions and Keeper of the Hammer, can aid us! Let’s go!

Children of Etemburo, hearken unto me! Forgonamod, the God of Inventions and Keeper of the Hammer, shall provide! We’re a-off!

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Sorry for the wait, denizens, but getting to the forge of Forgonamod in a mortal body is a lot harder than I realized, especially in the mountains. Did you know that Mortals can get easily fatigued at certain heights? Now, as a God, I wouldn’t actually die, but my body that I have assembled will, and I would have to obey the path of death. But I have avoided that path so far…hold on…breath catch…

Apologies, dear children, I have not taken into account the distance of Forgonamod’s forge, nor how a Mortal body I conjured for myself would react to the elements. Need…air…now…well, I can’t die-die, I’ll just’a…be sent to Ruutgard’s realm. Almost…there…

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…

Ah, thank you, Lord Forgonamod! Forgive the intrusion, but I have been recently receiving of a mission from the people. Here, let me close the door, I wish to keep this between you, me, and the people watching via my eye. Yes, that eye. You like it? I am flattered, thank you! 

Wait, is someone at your door? 

My gratitude, Lord Forgonamod! I have come on an urgent request. Allow me to close your door behind me, I must share with you and the children of Etemburo through the cartography of my personal parchment, the one that reaches out to the select papers of my chosen explorers to show them what I draw! I am honored you think my work is unique, Lord Forgonamod. Now, to the business at hand…wait…

Markolmid?

Knovas?

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…

What are you doing here?

What are you doing here?

I am here on a mission!

I am here on a mission!

Wait, are you…

Copying you? No, you are copying me!

Okay, wait, stop! My Lord Forgonamod, I beg your forgiveness! I did not know that you would be receiving any guests aside from me, though I recognize that I was not personally invited-

Guest?! I am on’a mission, sir! My Lord Forgonamod, please accept my apologies! Unannounced unto you, yes, but my people’s curious nature demanded my attention-

What mission?

The Rings!

That’s my mission!

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Okay, so we’re both here, we’re both wanting to see the Rings, we’re both doing this for our respected nations, as well as the nations beyond, and we’re both here and now inside the great smithing chambers of Lord Forgonamod – respect, dear Lord – so, what are we to do?

Well’a, I guess we should ask the Keeper of the Hammer if he could aid us in this complex endeavor, with great humility and gratitude, God of Inventions. 

Very well. My Lord of the Forge, it is in the interest of the people of Torbafice and in the interest of Knovas…and Markolmid (eyeroll)…that we get to the sky and show all what the Rings are. So, my Lord, will you aid us, please?

You know that saying “eyeroll” defeats’a the purpose of the actual eyeroll-

Shut it! The Lord of the Forge speaks.

But he’s just’a moving his hands-

HE’S DEAF! IT’S SIGN LANGAUGE!

Yeesh, okay’a!

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Okay, denizens of Myrthol…

Ahem’a, sir!

…sigh, and children of Etemburo!

Salutations, Myrtholnians!

Yeah, don’t call them that. Anyways, Mortals all, I and Markolmid…yes, the God of Exploration and Keeper of the Compass, have received a strange device from Forgonamod to go and explore the tip of the skies, to see the Rings and maybe get a good look with Mortal eyes at the wonders of the mysterious region. I think he called it a “dirigible”, a recent creation he made with an inspiration from the airborne lanterns used by civilians for celebrations.

Or by the military for signals.

Yes, of course. That, too. This dirigible, however, comes with a great dome, under which I and Markolmid will be under to keep our Mortal vessels filled with oxygen provided by this thick plant growing in the middle of the deck, while a great parachute is filled with hot air from the fires blowing outside of the airship thanks to the a great engine the Lord of the Smith created in short time. 

He must’a be proud of this; he was waving to us with a small smile upon his face. 

Well, regardless, we’re on our way to the skies and to the Rings!

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Well, the good news is that the heat from below is keeping us warm. The bad news, mortals? This cloud cover keeps either of us from seeing anything outside. Plus, the heat keeps fogging up the dome, so I have to keep wiping-

Knovas, look!

Um, uh, wiping the dome, yes! Nothing else, I haven’t…anyways! What is it? Oh, my…

Knovas, it’s…beautiful…

The Rings. Markolmid, they’re so close

Yes. I could even hear them, grinding and crackling…

Yes. Wait…CRACKLING?!

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Hello? My eye? Functioning, good. So, denizens of Myrthol and children of Etemburo, to recap what happened with all that scenery of breaking, whipping, and screaming, we were so close to the Rings that we were entranced by their beauty. Unfortunately, the dome cracked and broke due to a lack of pressure, blowing upwards and destroying the parachute, causing the dirigible to destabilize and, well, it was a long way down. At least the plant survived, along with our…items, watch’a got there?

Well, Forgonamod did’a leave me this message to open later as instructed. “To Knovas and Markolmid, you both interrupted my planned anniversary for my wife; hope you enjoyed that ride on the junkheap. Thanks for giving us a show, and the next time you come to my door, learn some decorum and bring gold. Otherwise’a (excuse me, Knovas), I’ll make you both into nails for the stool that my hairy butt slams upon during work, to flatten you harder than your entertaining falls. Sincerely, the God of Inventions.”

I see. So, not only have we failed our respected nations, but now we upset a third generation God who might not help us in the future even with gold! And we don’t even have a proper answer as to how we’re going to get up to the sky to see the Rings!

Shut up’a, you fool! Please be quiet! 

Quiet! Why should I be quiet?! We’re in the Underworld, alongside the Waiting Souls, and we’ll have to trek back up to the entrance past the Guard Dogs and the Whirling Labyrinth, and reform our Mortal bodies on the outside, and redo the mission all over again! Lome guide me, this whole ordeal cannot get any-

KNOVAS! MARKOLMID! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE…AGAIN?

Aaaaaawwwwww ccrrrrrraaaaaaaap!! Ruutgard! 

GET OUT OF MY REALM, YOU SORRY ASSES!

Hey, Knovas! Ruutgard could’a just kick us up to the Rings!

Shut up and run, Markolmid!