You wish to learn the Krallic tongue, you say? While I salute your dedication, the Krallic language is barbarous and uncouth. Speaking it is like gargling mud.

If it's a matter of needing an interpreter, I'm sure Marmeia would be willing to assist you. She's an expert.

I suppose a patient student might eventually master the basics of Krallic. It would, however, take considerable time and effort.

Player: "Isn't there a faster way?"

Player, you are child of the Aether. You are blessed with youth eternal, and a legacy of unfading glory. Why such haste?

Any task worth achieving takes time. Look around you at this citadel of archived wisdom. Inhale the redolence of parchment, leather, paper and ink. Such knowledge is not to be had with a snap of the fingers.

And yet, as the soaring Daeva may suddenly dive to strike at a target...there may yet be a swifter route.

Player: "A shortcut? Tell me more!"

The Shugos, as you know, speak many languages. This is not entirely due to natural aptitude--they also have an artificial method.

The Shugos brew a particular potion, heavily infused with Aether, which affects the linguistic center of the mind. One dose, it is said, will grant the power to learn a whole new language in minutes. A gift of tongues, if you will.

I do know one Shugo who is likely as any to possess this potion. Would you care to meet him?

Player: Accept.

To the East lies the Tempest Shipyard, where sky-vessels are wrought. Seek Kunberunerk. I doubt you'll need to search for long--he's President of Tempest Shipyard, and is there every day.

At night he's a regular at the Dionysia Tavern, where he drinks and bemoans his overburdened life till unconsciousness claims him.

So, if you arrive at Tempest Shipyard after dark and don't find Kunberunerk there, then seek him at the Dionysia Tavern. If you're lucky, he'll still be coherent. As coherent as a Shugo can be, that is.

Player: "Thank you for all your help."

No no no, not good, not good. Yesterday, we barely reached our target. Today, we make no progress at all. No no no....

Daeva is not looking to heft a workman’s hammer, I hope? No jobs here! No jobs!

Daeva doesn’t have the Kinah for a grand ship. Not for a little ship. Not for a boat. Can Kunberunerk interest Daeva in...a bucket? Fine zinc bucket, very nice...handmade.

Player: "How about a Krallic language potion?"

Aah! Hush, Daeva! These things are not talked about openly!

Kunberunerk refuses to confirm or deny this! It may exist...and it may not exist.

Now...who told Daeva this? Tell me!

Player: "I heard it from...someone."

No matter. Humans, Daevas, they chatter all the time, about all things. And in all things, there is profit. Kunberunerk can profit, yes?

Daeva needs a Krallic potion, yes? Let us say that Kunberunerk has such a potion.

Kunberunerk does not know why, and he does not care. But the potion is hard to get. Rare as diamonds. Very expensive.

Player: "How about 10,000 Kinah? Would that cover it?"

Akakakak! Yes! That would...WAIT! What is this? Daeva is trying to trick Kunberunerk out of something this valuable?

Two things even a very stupid Daeva must know! Always spread your wings before you jump off a cliff. And never, ever try to cheat a Shugo out of Kinah!

Twenty thousand Kinah would have been a proper fee. Kunberunerk cut that in half as a gesture of goodwill to foolish Daeva with big reputation, nyerk. This generous offer is withdrawn as of now! Let that be a lesson to you!

Player: "Lesson learned, then."

Akakak! It may seem like a lot, but another Shugo would have charged you three...no, four times that! Daeva found a good bargain today! Yes, yes.

Daeva can collect the potion from Marmeia in Tempest Shipyard.

Say Kunberunerk sent you. That's all.

Player: "Thank you for your help."

Kunberunerk looks like a charity to you, yes? Stupid Daeva, why seek such costly substances if you don’t have the Kinah to pay for them?

Business must be taken care of, pretty wings or no pretty wings. Kunberunerk didn’t get where he is today by giving goods away for free, nyerk!

You’re not afraid of hard work, are you? Run along Daeva, earn the money you need and then we can do business.

Player: "You don’t understand. I need the potion urgently."

You really mean this, yes? Hmm. Persistent Daeva. Perhaps we can do business after all....

Kunberunerk wouldn't do this for just anyone. If you weren’t a Daeva, this would be out of the question! That’s clear, yes?

Player: "Yes."

Kunberunerk is making a battleship for Lavirintos--the finest ship in Tempest Shipyard!

But battleships consume power, yes? Need special generators! I sent Mapirerk to get one, but then no word from him for a long time.

No generator means no ship, no ship means no sale, no sale means no Kinah for Kunberunerk! Daeva will find Mapirerk, and bring back the generator! He should be over at the Airship Dock, if he hasn’t blundered over the edge. Stupid Mapirerk.

Player: "I'll look for him."

Kunberunerk thinks Mapirerk can send a runner down to the market to buy a generator big enough to power a battleship? No no, need treated metals, refined minerals... Stupid Kunberunerk.

And Odium, of course. Maniparas at Tolbas Village in Verteron sells Odium.

So Mapirerk sent brother Gaphyrk for Odium and he hasn't come back! My hair is falling out from stress. Look look, bald patch! Here too, Nyerk!

Player: "Perhaps I could help?"

Yes yes, Please! Go see Maniparas. He sells general goods in Tolbas Village. He would have been the last person to see Gaphyrk!

Unless we find my brother, the battleship will stay in drydock forever. I’m sure some terrible thing has happened to him. Oh, I can just see him in some cave somewhere, Odium shining through his gnawed bones...nyerk.

Player: "I'll see what I can find out."

My time is precious, [%userclass]. If you don't want to do business, you should leave.

I've no time to spend entertaining the ignorant and the inept.

What is it?

Player: "I'm looking for a Shugo named Gaphyrk."

That bothersome little runt! Yes, I saw him a few days ago. I sold him a large amount of highly-refined Odium.

He should have been back in Sanctum later that day, or the morning after at the very latest.

Unless he went to the Dukaki village....

Player: "Why would he go there?"

Gaphyrk told me he had something to attend to there and I didn't ask him to elaborate.

Still, it's strange that he'd choose to visit such a dangerous place, especially carrying such an expensive consignment.

You could go to the Dukaki Settlement yourself and see what you can find out. Gaphyrk isn't the brightest Shugo in Atreia, but if anyone can talk his way out of a Krall cookpot...

Player: "Thanks for the information."

Didn't think Mapirerk could afford to send a Daeva! What a caring Shugo! Gaphyrk is sure it has nothing to do with the Odium! Akakak!

Daeva can tell Mapirerk that I'm not his courier any more! No no, Gaphyrk has found something more important than the finest Odium, nyerk!

Greedy Mapirerk can wait for his silly supplies!

Player: "What's more important?"

Love! Love is important! Money? Just shiny coins! Nothing more important now, nothing but her!

Daeva wouldn't understand! Daevas know nothing but fighting and flying, nyerk!

Take the Odium! Do what you want with it! Give it to my brother, hand it out in the street! Gaphyrk does not care! All Gaphyrk cares about now is Mimiti! Mimiti Mimiti Mimiti!

Player: "Um, thanks for the Odium."

Player! You did it! I can see the Odium glowing from here! Akakakakak!

Just in time, too: The final demand came through just a minute ago!

Oh wait! Gaphyrk! Where is he? Is he okay? He's a stupid Shugo from time to time, yes yes...still my brother, though!

Player: "He's met some...thing...."

No! No no no no no! The idiot! He'll ruin my name! Ruin it! How... Gaphyrk fell in love with a Kobold? A Kobold?!

I tell you, Daeva, Mapirerk has forgiven him a thousand times before now, but I will not forgive this. I no longer have a brother!

But work still needs to be done, Daeva! Mapirerk has to get the Odium to the engineers! Go! Kunberunerk wants to see you! Ah, stupid Gaphyrk...

Player: "Good luck with your battleship."

So Mapirerk has the Odium? Daeva did well!

Gaphyrk was always a stupid Shugo--gave us all a bad name! Now, though...akakak! Gaphyrk has found a new low!

Shugos are good traders because they always spot a deal, and know how to bargain! Yes! Gaphyrk though...was not so gifted.

Player: "True. Now about that potion..."

Yes yes...the potion! Kunberunerk has arranged everything, Daeva. All you need do is speak with Marmeia in the Tempest Shipyard. Tell her I sent you.

Now listen, Player! Very important!

Kunberunerk has lost a lot of Kinah helping you out! Make sure other Daevas know the lengths Kunberunerk will to go to!

Player: "I'll tell them."

Kunberunerk recommended you? Great to meet you! And thank you for agreeing to participate!

I’m really grateful we finally managed to find a volunteer! There are so many risks. All the other applicants backed out and... So, how about Kunberunerk? That Shugo can talk anyone into anything, can’t he?

So you know about the expected side effects? Inability to speak clearly for several days, slurred words, furry tongue...that sort of thing?

Player: "What?! No, I wasn't told!"

Really? That’s peculiar. I specifically asked Kunberunerk to make sure any volunteers were fully informed of the potential dangers.

Now, at last I have my volunteer! I owe Kunberunerk a drink or two for his efforts.

I'm just excited to see how our experiments go! Let's start, shall we? We can talk later, perhaps even in Krallic! Here you go, then! Down it in one!