The night was warm, and the next day broke with soft light through a dense fog bank that had rolled in from the sea. It dissipated quickly in the morning light as Dexarren, Pagarfi and myself went back out to the courtyard to find a fresh banquet before us.
The rising suns reminded me anew of just how far from home I was. Fortunately, there was less anxiety in that thought now that I was on solid ground and in peaceful company.
Despite the strange and often intimidating appearances of the many other beings which had been thrown into that bizarre landscape with me, I had seen no reason whatsoever to expect any trouble from any of them. Dexarren was one of very few who had actually been carrying a weapon when they'd been pulled out of their proper place in spacetime, but none of these had so much as drawn them. The same applied to those who carried natural weapons, such as a burfaur and a few other individuals who looked like they came from predatory species.
Not one offered any form of physical harm to another, and Pagarfi had a theory about why that was when the topic arose at breakfast on that first day. "These are all peaceful beings, no matter what realm and people they come from. Not many are warriors" - she nodded to Dexarren - "and the few exceptions are not warmongers. These are smart, circumspect people. In fact, I'd say there is more wisdom gathered in this place than there has ever been anywhere, anywhen... or at least more ability to peacefully coexist with strangers very different from ourselves."
"Perrrhaps you speak the truth, little woman." The burfaur, a grizzled old bearman by the name of Guruhk, rubbed his snout contemplatively. He claimed to have come from "Ger", the burfaur homeworld, in an age long before they came to Auronis. "My tribesmen would have sought to establish territory in this place, especially the young males. Some would have killed without thought, while others would have sought out the strongest opponent among those gathered herrrre."
It was in Guruhk, a patriarch of his people on Ger, that the curious effect of this place which allowed us to converse as easily as if we were all of the same people, place, and time was most clear. As someone who knows Brother Grushauph and other bearfolk magi here in the Citadel, I could tell very easily that this burfaur was not speaking any tongue I could have understood. His teeth gnashed and snapped in the intimidating way they tend to do when burfaurs speak their own tongue amongst themselves, but the voice that reached my ears merely carried a gruff hint of that primal tongue. This is important, because as we all know, Brrr'fakish is a very distinct language. It was as if his words were being translated for me before they reached my ears.
Guruhk narrowed his eyes in appraisal of a huge, hairless, heavily muscled being which sat among another eclectic group a short ways away. "I am old, and though I am still strong among my people, strength for strength's sake matterrrs little to me anymorrre. Perhaps that is parrrt of why I am herrrre, and they arrre not. Is that what you'rrre saying?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Pagarfi hopped straight to her feet from a sitting position and began to pace excitedly. "I was terrified when I came here, but once Dexarren spoke to me, my curiosity got the better of me. Most of my people would call that insanity. We are not warriors, and our fear keeps us alive in a world full of predators. Like you, I am somewhat outside the norm for my kind. This is not an insult, of course, but peoples are shaped by the worlds they live in. It takes unusual minds to cope with unusual circumstances such as these."
"But... why? Is there a purpose to all this?" A new voice broke into the conversation. Despite the variety in those we had encountered so far, the nature of the speaker still startled everyone in the glade. A metallic entity in the shape of man strode into the clearing. His footsteps were heavy and solid, but smooth. He moved with a certain stiffness, but not nearly as much so as any golem or automaton I've ever seen.
