I tried to avoid it, but does this look like a lore dump? Context, the one giving lore is a devout paladin.

EDIT

I'm so sorry, the 3rd and 4th image has swapped places. I hope it wasn't too confusing! That's embarassing. Lol.

I tried to avoid it, but does this look like a lore dump?

Context: the one giving lore is a devout paladin and most of these lore bits will be relevant several chapters ahead.

I just also realized that I needed 600 characters to post, so I'll include another "lore heavy" section, but honestly, I think, this one could pass since it's a Fireside Tale type of dialogue. It is exposition, but intentional. But let me know what you think:

"Right." I eyed him suspiciously. I noted that he didn't ask for our names. I took a sip, swallowed and a sigh escaped my lips. Surprised, I looked at the cup, then at the wine within. I took another draught and warmth filled my chest. Every ache seemed to evaporate off my body. I looked at my injured hand. The scar was there, but the pain had gone. "What is this?"

The traveller made a show of turning over the bottle as if looking for a maker's mark. Then helplessly shrugged, "It looks like wine."

Before I could throttle him, Berwin spoke, "You're West-bound, you say?" The color seemed to have returned to his face, but his tone was grave, loaded.

"That, I am." The stranger answered solemnly and a look passed between them. Berwin nodded as if he understood something I didn't.

"And what brings you to Marosdel?"

"I am looking for my sister. She's been gone for some time, and well, my family is in shambles. They miss her terribly. Not me, of course."

The stone in my pocket momentarily heated up before settling back into a steady warmth. The traveller's eyes crinkled fondly but his smile seemed both relieved and tired. Then he clapped his hands together, "Right! We have fire and company. We should make the most of this wine."

"It is a graceful gift." Berwin allowed. "What can we do for you in exchange?"

"Oh, never mind you that, paladin. We can just keep tradition instead. A story by the fire, like the days of old, eh? We know few people honor it these days."

The stranger refilled our cups and settled back, enjoying the attention. "Stories… You know the one where Aurius failed to start the day?" he asked.

Berwin snorted. I knew of it. Every child did. Even the stone in my pocket pulsed gently, as if waiting.

"Ah, you do. Of course." He smiled mischievously. "Indulge me."

He looked into the fire while he spoke. "Lafry the Spider, Fire-eater, Son of Yonn, had heard of a new phrase the mortals had begun using: 'Sure as sunrise' they said. Jealousy and mischief in his eyes, the Trickster wanted to prove that the mortals were wrong, that there was no certainty in this world. He had wagered with the other gods that he could steal the day from them. The gods had laughed-you cannot steal what always comes, after all. So the wager was struck. And Lafry, being Lafry, didn't go after the sun at all. He went after its keeper. Got him drunk, showered him with praises and got him even drunker." The stranger drained his cup.

"I've heard this one," I said. "The dawn came late with Aurius having a splitting headache. But it still arrived, the sun faltering and blackening as it rose. Still, the gods laughed the Trickster out of the hall because Lafry had won and lost at the same time."

He turned the cup in his hands. "Perhaps I knew a different version of the tale then." He smiled knowingly. "The dawn didn't come late. It came on time-because his twin sister rose in the dark and carried on his responsibility. She had held both the Dawn and Dusk, tirelessly, until he got better and no one in the hall was the wiser. Lafry lost his wager to the hearth-keeper. He was not…" a small pause, "…gracious about losing."

The fire popped. The stone in my pocket was warm as a held hand.

"I've never heard that version. Why would she do that?" I asked. "Cover for Aurius."

The stranger smiled at the flames, and for a moment he looked very old. "Because that's just how she is."

Something pricked at the back of my mind. Almost a recognition, then I frowned, "Wait. If Aurius is the god of prophecy, shouldn't he have known Lafry was going to trick him?"

The traveller laughed. Genuine. It sounded like summer, "Oh, sharp one." The stranger refilled his own cup. "Maybe, with his domain being that of prophecy, he found he could not violate the sanctity of fate. Or maybe the wine was just so good that it was worth the trick."

There was a long silence. The wind kept blowing outside.

"And Vella?" Berwin asked. The question seemed to dim the fire. He was asking an entirely different question.

The traveller smiled sadly, "Her domain covers that of the laws of hospitality. She could not violate it upon threat of death. A clever Spider needed simply to exploit that."

You have to, Kara. This is the way. The only way.

I looked at the golden stranger, suddenly realizing who he was. My heart hammered against my chest and my head spun as if the floor had been taken out from under me. His eyes weren't flecked with gold. They were gold. Letha's son.