Her eyes well up when she sees the rings, squeezing your hand as she takes them from you. When she sees the inscription, she chuckles, wiping at her eyes, "You're a sly one, Dornikal Greystone, and that's no doubt. How does the timing of exchanging rings work among the dwarves? Even if we're not dwarves, or followers of a dwarven god, I've a pair of rings made by the best dwarf I know, I'd like to maybe honor that tradition as much as we can, if that's alright?"

Coljin continues the conversation with the young with with happiness in his eyes, "It is good that you are interested in the gods.  Not everyone reveres every god or goddess.  There are many in the world.  You need to choose which gods you like, which ones care about the same things you care about in life. (Coljin has better training in talking to children and speaking in terms they understand than me, i hope)  Unfortunately, she doesn't travel around to visit her followers too often.   But that is ok, as you can talk to her in prayer."  He explains prayer to them and explains that by invoking her name and praying the goddess will be able to hear you and know that he thinks she is 'neat'.  Coljin states he prays to his goddess often each day.  She doesn't physically answer prayers, usually, but know that she hears you."

They seem a bit disappointed that she isn't going to come visit, Coljin gets the sense that they're picturing her as potential favorite older relative who could stop by to visit. In particular, they want to know what else she does or doesn't like people that pray to her to do or not do. It seems that they are still thinking that if they do a good enough job, in acts and in prayer, that maybe she'll decide to come visit after all. They ask if they can watch you when you pray.

Coljin will absolutely do his best to explain it in terms they understand and he will also ask if their are gods that their parents have told them about.

He will let them watch him pray and be open to what is happening.  

Does Coljin know what deities the dragonborn revere?

Religion: 23

From their uncertainty at the question, and from what you've observed, you're not certain that they hold to any gods. Randy has been there when Ulmwin was getting the history of their people told to him, so would be able to fill in that they described a great civilization facing destruction, and the current desert dragonborn are descendants of those who followed Seers who foresaw that destruction, abandoning their comforts to survive in the harsh desert and await a Prophecy fulfilled. 

It's possible that going through that could shake faith in any gods.

Dornikal's smile falters,

"Oh, Dumathoin guides meh hands. And ye don't need worry about the Dwarven traditions on meh account. They're...complicated. If ye fancied Galt ye would have needed to tell yer family's head to speak to his family's head to start the... negotiations. Ye don't have the right word in common. Once that was done ye would present each other with yer rings of Promise and Debt after that..."

He smiles up at Tren,

"It's a romantic process that can take a couple of years. Aye don't imagine ye'll want to wait, and it's a double honor for meh that meh closest friends will be wearing them. When he says yes, ye put the ring on him!"

Ulmwin considers trying to lift some of the dragonborn children, but clearly doesn't want to make any promises... Mostly because, well, the dragonborn children are probably close to his size! If it weren't for that, he'd be giving a few of them rides by lifting them up, but alas, that's a "big people" thing...

(( I was looking at the possibility of using them like a grapple, but I think that'll have to wait a bit.))

Randy is watching Coljin try to explain the concept of gods to the dragon born children with a certain amount of amusement.  "I'd be careful about recruiting new church members, Coljin, until I talked things over with the elders.  They seem to be pretty relaxed in their attitudes towards divinity, but that might change if they think your trying to recruit their kids." 

((Hmmm... if you're aware of real world historical precedent, that'd give me something to work off of, otherwise we've always got magic. If keeping it mundane, maybe a design variant to replace the weights with smaller grappling hooks? Increase the chance of it tangling and latching on? Though as an item for Randy to use, I think with mundane equipment, we're still gonna bump up against his 11 STR and anything with weight becoming a STR based throw. To keep it DEX based, perhaps with an even smaller grappling hook, that still provides enough weight, and a thin and durable enough cord... all he'd need is a way of flinging it forward rapidly enough to get good range... perhaps a thin, flexible length of wood, that would increase the functional length of his arm and impart more momentum on the grappling hook, with some way of playing out the cord...))

"You are right Randy, you should speak to them that the children are curious, but I do not wish to cause any ill will."

Randy finds one of the tribal elders and discusses Coljin's desire to share with the children because they are curious, but that he will defer to their wishes in the matter.

Randy takes it up with the Elders, who confer and return after deliberation, with the decision that since they are intending to re-enter the world and have dealings with modern civilizations, it would be useful to be knowledgeable about the religions and customs they might encounter, so any of you who wish to provide instruction or sermons on behalf of your deities may do so, though they do request that at least one Elder be present going forward.

Randy nods agreement and thanks them for their understanding and tolerance. He relays this information to Dornikal and Coljin and is willing to make himself available to discuss his particular patrons as well. (Any discussions involving the All Mother would be strictly conventional cannon.  Randy is not willing to discuss his own insights without having a meeting with the senior priests of the order first, as it may be considered "controversial"). 

Coljin is happy for their open-minded-ness also, and although he has not been a big go out and proselytize type preacher, he would rather let his actions show how he and his goddess work, he will make sure to explain Mielikki's tenets to whomever cares to listen. 

A pair of adults join Coljin's next chat with the dragonborn kid, and they ask lots of questions too, seemingly similarly interested in Her tenets and iconography. 

The next day, Coljin's little budding acolyte finds him and grabs his hand, leading him to a spot near where one of the newly grown trees shades the nearby patch of sand that vegetation is already beginning to stabilize. They point excitedly to what at first looks to be a creature standing near the tree, but what Coljin soon realizes is a stone unicorn, head down as if grazing... or at least what a dragonborn's second hand imagining of a unicorn must be... it's a bit more reptilian and fearsome than Coljin was expecting, and bears a passing resemblance to an equine version of Gordon's blue drake mount.

((Gordon's mount, for reference))

Coljin cannot help but smile he is so happy that he has been able to open the minds of a few people to the blessings of his goddess.  And once he thinks about it for a little while; a desert type of unicorn would probably look just like this.  He thinks Mielikki would be very pleased, and he tells them so.

He explains some of the special things he can do from her power, not just the healing.  Especially going over the fact that he can, with her power, cast spells that create food and water, to a small extent, when needed.

They are initially amazed, and then you get a sense of amused frustration that morphs into laughter as they wave a hand around at the oasis. One of the elders comments to Randy, and he's able to translate to Coljin that he probably should have led with "My goddess can create water in a desert", and he'd have had a lot more interest from the start.

While the oasis seems to have sorted their water needs for the future city, but they seem very interested in such magics, and the next day, you find a few dozen dragonborn waiting for you by the 'unicorn' statue, many of them adults all eager to learn and study your teachings. Your young dragonborn friend is off to the side, sitting cross legged on the ground, head bowed, and doesn't seem to be paying much attention to the other dragonborn.

After a few days of work and interacting with the dragonborn, you are taking your ease in or around the tower, Kreldoran and Dornikal chatting with Szartha on a balcony of the tower, the wizard remarking that the repairs have been going better even than he expected, and that he hopes to be done within the next 48 hours. Tren and Galt have gone for a walk around the oasis, Coljin is experimenting with his new armor, Ulmwin is working on some of his compositions and notes, and Zokk is having a peaceful evening, with their roots sunk into the wet sand near the oasis.

You hear a shout from out around the left side of the oasis... Dornikal recognizes it as Galt, and peering into the darkened evening, can see his friend running full tilt breaking from the tree line... where's Tren? She emerges a few paces back and stumbles over a root, but retains her feet as she stumbles forward. Spotting you, Galt calls up in his deep bellow, "DORNIKAL! SZARTHA!"

Dornikal nods at the timeline.

"Are we planning on going straight to the city? Or as close as ye can?"

Before he gets his answer he spins towards and his friends call and is already running towards them, sword out, sand flying behind him.

"WAIT'S HAPPENING? ALERT THE REST SZARTHA!"

Galt skids to a stop, mouth agape as Dornikal, without question, vaults over the balcony and draws his sword as he plunges downward through the cool desert night air, his dwarven sturdiness and barbarian inurement to pain barely slowing him (though he takes 18 falling damage) as he comes up in a spray of sand and sprints towards his friends. Galt's face is ruddy with a blush and he hangs his head sheepishly. 

"Aw, forks, are you okay? I just wanted to tell you we're getting married! SZARTHA! TREN AND I ARE GETTING MARRIED!"

He gather's Tren in with his remaining arm as she gets close, for her part, she's waving off Szartha on the balcony, before planting a fist in Galt's ribs, eliciting a grunt from him. 

"You big oaf, he thought we were under attack!"

"Heh... sorry Preacher. I was just excited, and wanted to see if you could marry us before the tower's ready to leave?"

"And that's not something that could wait until tomorrow?", Tren asks.

"Got carried away, sorry!", Galt exclaims, lifting Tren with his arm and twirling her around.

"Oh put me down, you can talk to Dornikal about wedding plans tomorrow. I'M not done with you just yet."

Tren links hands with Galt, gives Dornikal a wink and mouths 'I'm sorry', before grinning and leading Galt back towards the oasis.

Dornikal blinks as he pants for breath looking up at the one armed half-orc, sword slowly lowering.

"Married?"

He takes a deep breath, looking between Tren and Galt. He tries to keep the wince of pain off his face as the pain of the fall on his knees and back hits him as and puts his sword away. A bit hoarsely he manages

"Aye, course ye are!"

He clears his throat,

"Aye mean, congratulations ye two! Aye'd be happy to see ye married before we leave. We only got a couple of days says the wizard but aye'm sure we can get more time if we need it, no rush! Galt go with Tren, we can wait!"

As they leave Dornikal smiles broadly at Tren as she leaves but once they've gone a ways into the darkness he grits his teeth and starts hobbling back to the tower, muttering,

"Stairs. Could have taken the stairs. Why have a tower that tall in the first place. Aye think aye need to sit down..."