Because One Name is Enough: Dra vs. Logan

[Dra]

As in the outside world, within the Dajas Pagoda the young are taught by the old. They are shown how to clean, how to pray, and how to do all the other things required of a monk. Not only that, but they are also taught how to stay safe within their duties. In this way they are told both which rooms and room occupants to avoid. Though this is normally done through word of mouth or possibly with a very large piece of wood, it has only once been done with a sign.

Posted outside of the Warrior's domain, it was designed to warn any monks or combatants about what they would be facing when they entered. Though those who put it up doubted that those who ignored their warning would be hurt (unless they wanted to be), they did acknowledge the very real possibility that they would lose hours of their day and have their sanity tested. It's thus that they bid all who were to enter to read it.

The note was as such:

Before you stands the room of a Warrior in the Dajas Pagoda. Depending on whether you are a member monk caring out his daily rituals or a challenger wishing to test his mettle, you will either find what awaits beyond a test of your composure or a brutal trial in battle. In the former case, we advise you leave as soon as your duties are done (and as quickly as possible). In the latter case, we remind that you may battle to the best of your abilities, without restriction, and that even should you lose, we will be there to revive you.

Even so, however, as a boon to both our own and the challengers, we present this description of the room before you and of the Warrior within (to a lesser degree). Though we doubt not your resolve or abilities, we know well of the things you will face and find it necessary that you know.

- Note: We use the names that the Warrior has provided, for he would have removed the sign otherwise. -

Of the Room

In the South-East section of the Room one will find the Realm of Discarded Furniture. It extends from the eastern sluice to the southern sluice and to five feet from the wall. It contains a maze of discarded and forgotten furniture of various types. In its great weaving mass one can pieces such as small chairs, large chairs, desks, small serving tables, bar stools, couches, and even a simple throne or two; none of which are for sale.

- Warning: Do not, under any circumstance, stop to take a nap in a chair. -

In the North-East section of the Room one will find the Realm of Discarded Metal Bits. It extends from the northern sluice gate to the eastern sluice gate and to ten feet from the wall. It contains an impenetrable mound of discarded metal show pieces from other rooms in the Pagoda and scrapes the ceiling at its highest points. Within it are housed a number of gargoyle heads, sprockets and gears, stylish pieces of webbing, and a number of other things less definite in nature. Oddly enough none of the pieces show no signs of rusting, though the inner ones do have a nice layer of dust about them.

- Warning: Do not, under any circumstance, stop to climb the mound. -

In the North-West section of the Room one will find the Realm of Nothing Much At All. It extends from the northern sluice to the western sluice and to the wall. It contains a large, imposing mound of nothing. It is there that one can stretch out on warm, white-washed stone and stare at the artwork that has collected on its outer walls. If one does, one will notice that the series of work seem to have been drawn from the talents of two different artists. The first—decidedly the more professional of the two—is a lover of oils and the ancient battle scenes that painted with them. Meanwhile, the second—certainly the more disarming of the duo—is a lover of finger paints and whatever he wants to draw at any given time. While passersby often give monumental praise to the more experienced of the two, they still remark to each other that the more immature artist's mother must love him very much and that “it's really heartwarming that they allow those sorts of kids to do such things these days.”

- Warning: Do not, under any circumstance, stop to paint something yourself. -

In the South-West section of the Room one will find the Realm of the Disarming Entrance. It extends from the western sluice gate to the southern sluice gate and to the wall. It contains, depending upon how close one is to the center of the section, either a nice red carpet or nothing at all. The red carpet extends from the simple oak double-doors poking out from the wall to the edge of the fountain in the middle of the room.

- Warning: Do not, under any circumstance, stop to look at the fountain. -

In the Center of the Room one will find the Fountain of Infinite Oils, which gushes exquisite, fragrant oils rather than water. Essentially an exercise in making artificial waterfalls, the great construct consists of six different layers. The first is the largest with a diameter of some fifteen feet. It acts as the platform and collection pool for the rest of the fountain and opens in each of the cardinal directions to a series of draining canals (or sluices). In its center is a raised island some seven feet in diameter. As for the other platforms, they are piled behind the island in a semi-circle that grows from the left to the right as the smaller, three foot by one-and-a-half foot platforms pile on one another. Each is a different color and thus tints the oils that flow down from the pipe on the top platform.

- Warning: Do not, under any circumstance, stop to anoint yourself with the oils. -

Of the Occupant

His name is Dra and there is no more explanation of him than there is of the Heavens. Do not mistake this wording, however, for his providence; he is not so. Consider him a dullard if you must, or more prudently a madman, but in no case consider him harmless as a foe. His wiles are many, his wits far less, and his movement that of the oils within his chamber, though possibly more haphazardly so.

In proceeding inward, we suggest you keep your introductions short. Though he will not attack you until either you seem prepared or initiate it yourself, you do not wish to prolong the proceedings. If he finds you friend an you are conscious after your battle, he may take many an hour from you, even as we mend your wounds.

Good Luck.

Of course, in the face of such a warning one is left to wonder if the occupant of the room even cares about his supposed reputation. Does it affect him negatively or is it a boon to him? Oddly enough, that's an easy thing to divine. After all, what else could be inferred from his present position, laying on top of the oaken doors within his domain? It wasn't a fluke that he could hear the steps from the hallway outside.

Anyway, as he sat on top of his door, which he decided had really nice wood, he didn't even bother to hum. If his opponent was going to come, which he probably would in the next couple minutes, he wasn't going to give him any clue as to his position. Not only did he want to see him walk around confused for a bit, but he also wanted to see him freaked when he jumped down. Even if he was only wearing simple plain clothes, it would still be rather disturbing—especially with his Squig around.