Saga of Astral Mysteries (LOTMxASOIAF)

The Forge Master Goti Hammerson observed the Excalibur for several minutes straight until he returned the sword back to Valkorion. For the dwarven Forge Master and one as experienced as Goti Hammerson, it was clear that his customer's sword was indeed something pretty extraordinary. 

"That some of hell of a sword you got there lad..."

The Forge Master Goti Hammerson remarked as he passed the sword back to Valkorion, and soon enough, Valkorion prepared to leave the store before he stopped in his tracks and looked at the dwarven Forge Master once more before leaving.

"I wanted to ask, it seems that there are more Valyrians in here, especially the Pure-Blooded ones... any reason for that?"

Valkorion asked as this was the first time that he noticed an increased population of the Pure-Blooded Valyrians in the Cartharys. Usually, most of the Pure-Blooded Valyrians lived in the Capital of the Freehold, the City of Valyria, followed by the Volantis, Myr, Tyrosh, Lys, or across the Valyrian Peninsula.

Rarely did they come to far places like Cartharys if they were not members of some Beyonder Organizations or of the Legions that were stationed to protect the Freehold Terrioltiry.

Normally, such outskirts as the Carharys were way below the standards of the proper Valyrian Pure-Blood.

Specifically for the members of the Valyrian Nobility and the Dragonlord Families, who lived exclusively in the homeland of the Freehold, which was the capital of the Valyria City and the Peninsula.

Some of the Nobles, not the Dragonlord but ordinary Valyrian Nobles, also lived in the Volantsi as it was the second biggest city in the entire Freehold, and it was a place where they could flaunt their power without mocking the gaze of the Dragonlord Families.

So, Valkorion was somewhat surprised when he saw a bunch of silver-headed people walking through the streets of the Cartharys because while three was a good number of Pure-Blooded Valyrians lining in the Cartharys, the population was in no way comparable to what it was right now.

"Yer, it seems many are going to try their luck in the Invasion of the Goblinoids."

Hearing that, Valkorion was somewhat torn between being surprised at the situation and being not surprised. Still, it was rather weird to see this many Pure-Blooded Valyrians in the Cartharys going to try their luck during the overpopulation of the Goblinoids.

"Many of them won't last a day..."

Valkorion muttered as he knew that most of these Pure-Blooded Valyrians that were traveling to the Cartharys and similar regions within the Valyrian Freehold were to obtain more opportunities for themselves.

Because the Valyrian Freehold was one of the most Extraordinary Civilizations in the known world, many of the Pure-Blooded Valyrians wanted to become Beyonders, and for that, they needed money and a lot of it.

Most of these were commoners and the ones without sufficient talent, background, or opportunities to become Beyonders on their own, so they needed either outside help or more money for their possible advancements. 

And he also knew that most of them didn't really have any combat experience; if he had to guess, then many of the people that were attempting to play adventures were the rejects from the Freehold Legions, as the Legions accepted only the best.

Contrary to what many would think, the Valyrian Legions were the most elite military unit in the entire Faerûn, as they recruited only from the already trained individuals. While many would expect strong nepotism from the Valyrians when it came to this, it was actually on the contrary.

When it came to military conscription, the sole things that mattered were personal skills with weapons, combat experiences, and personal power. Either the person was a very skilled warrior or he was Beyonder.

If not, then the chance of rejection was almost ensured.

The quality of the Valyrian Legions must be maintained because, in the end, it was the Legion that maintained the supremacy of the Valyrian Freehold and the reign of the Freehold over the Western Essos.

Dragons were one thing, but Valkorion knew that Dragons were not mindless beasts like many people outside of the Freehold, especially the ones from Westeros thought, and the idea that Valyrians controlled Dragons was nothing, just an illusion.

Dragons were no less intelligent than humans and they were partners of the Dragonriders and Dragonlords, they were like Nuclear Weapons of the Freehold if Valkorion should use the terminology of his old world.

"Yar, though, as long as they pay, I don't care. Still, how ya can exist all without fighting, ts... in the underground kingdoms, you won't survive for a day against the rats."

Valkorion knew what the dwarf was talking about, but from the dwarf's point of view, they were indeed rather weak. Within the dwarven underground kingdoms, all of their citizens were competent in fighting as they were constantly fighting against the "rats" or the Skaven.

Even thogubh Valkorion didn't personally fight against the Skaven, he was well acquainted with the Skaven, because the rats were one of the great enemies of the Valyrian Freehold, as they were often found infesting the mines of the Freehold.

The dwarven underground kingdoms often cooperated with the Valyrian Freehold against the Skavenblight. 

The Skaven, sometimes known as the ratmen, the Ratkin, the "Children of the Horned Rat", or the "Underfolk", are a malevolent and diabolical race of large, intelligent, humanoid rats that inhabit a massive, inter-continental, subterranean empire known in their tongue simply as the "Under-Empire".

At the very heart of Skavendom lies the horrific underground city of Skavenblight in the depths of the Old World, the ratmen's capital and the probable birthplace of the Skaven race, where most of their forces were congregating.

The Old World was a collective term for the oldest continents known to have intelligent life, namely the Westeros, Essos, and Sothoryos.

The Skaven, as a whole, are a cruel, treacherous, and highly numerous species that have since spread their loathsome corruption to the farthest corners of the Faerûn.

From deep below the earth, these scavengers have built a vast Empire, whose military power and incomprehensible numbers have the potential to smother the surface nations of the Old World in a seething tide of violence and anarchy if not for the few that were holding Skaven at bay.

Nobody really knew where the Skave came from, but the collective understanding is that they were created by some sort of Ancient God in the 1st Epoch, most probably after the fall of the Ancient God, or they were cursed by the Ancient God. 

"Most of the humans are indeed weak and can't fight; that is true, Forge Master. But yet, in the times of dire need, even they would change and adapt to the situation."

Valkorion knew that firsthand because it was true that the common population of humanity had it much easier compared to the dwarves that lived deep under the ground and were forced to wage war on the Skavens that were attacking them constantly.

If not for the continuous help from the Valyrian Freehold, Golden Empire of Yi Ti, and various Churches of the Orthodox Gods of Essos and Westeros, then the station would have become unbearable for the dwarves.