The metal pretrosaurOn the roof of a non descript Hydlaa cottage an elderly figure worked busily over a strange device,he was extremely old,dwarven with greying hair,his white robes were stained liberaly with thick spattered oil.By his side was a stack of various tools and components.
He was stooped over what at first glance appeared to be a metal petrosaur,complete with wings and on either side strange tubes stuffed to the brim with air glyphs,a small hollow on top of the device allowed for a seat and several strange appendeges.The dwarven figure was now in the process of anchoring this assembly to the ground with thick ropes which he tied to steel hooks around the edge of the roof,when this task was complete he attached what appeared to be a large flowing sheet to the top of the craft which billowed in the wind due to its size. With considerable difficulty he inserted a sizeable stone bowl filled with oil,not too dissimillar from the ones outside the temple of laanx under the canopy of this and lit its contents.Holding the sheet back so that it would not set alight he watched it as the column of rising air slowly inflated it.Soon the floppy fabric was supporting itself and continuing to inflate.The aging man estimated that it would take around an hour to fully fill and so locked his door and strolled purposefully in the direction of the Kada-el tavern...
He returned some time later and streight away ascended the steps to his roof,the scene which met his eyes made him beam with pride,the sheet had solidified due to the amount of air filling it and the whole assembly was tugging at its moorings ready to go.People had ridiculed him,they said that he should not give up his promising career as a professer of magical science to chase a 'foolish' dream,he had given up everything and after years of research and sacrifice his goal had been realised.He lowered himself into the kikiri pit [we can't call it a cockpit as there are no chickens in Yliakum
] and ran his fingers across the various knobs and levers,this made his vains pulse with exitement and anxiety.
Bearly able to contain himself the dwarven professor tugged on a carefully positioned rope which set a complicated system of slipknots in motion that released the ropes from their hooks as he slowly began to float free of the ground.At a steady rate the baloon and its charge climbed majestically higher and higher,within barely twenty minutes the sprawling metropolis of Hydlaa appeared no larger than a dinner plate;this was amazing thought the Dwarf,it was like being a god.
Having reached the planned altitude the professor slammed down a large,important looking handle which caused the baloon canopy to eject itself into the air before crumpling in the wind and falling to earth.Free from the canopy the metal gondala beneath went into a dramatic nosedive,the dwarf was not worried as this was part of the planned sequence but nevertheless the experience of falling extremely fast unnerved him.Calmly he let his will release the magical energy contained within the glyphs that sent a huge jet of air spurting from the back of the tubes,propelling the steel bird forward at tremendous speed.The professor gently nudged a control that changed the angle of the wings until he was level and soaring across the plains of the dome,from this high he could see everything;the azure sun was closer than it had ever been before.
After a long flight going streight ahead he realised that the light was fading and that he should now turn back.Steeply tugging on a lever caused the craft to back until he was facing Hydlaa,a slight turn of a crank and he was now approaching the walls at a steep tilt.The craft was now travveling at extreme speeds and was almost out of control,the professor skimmed over the city walls much to the disgruntlment of the town watch and was now on collision course with the plaza...
He skimmed the top of the statue and jumped out of his seat into the fountain as the craft crashed nearby sending a cascade of tinkling shrapnel all across the plaza.As he looked up,dazed,he was aware that crowds of people had gathered around the scene and were all staring at him.
One by one,they started to applaud...
