Curse of the Dragon God

[cats]

Islands drift in the void, beneath a near eternal night. The unsuspecting populous of this demiplane will soon have a visitor, Aasterinian, messenger of Io the one who cursed them for long past sins.

The brass dragon flies in low in the darkness of the moonless night. Aasterinian lands in the center of small village, and lets out a roar to announce her presences. A gathering of the inhabitants quickly forms. The brass dragon smiles, as she often does. Her news wasn't good but it wasn't bad either so it was simple to be content with her occupation.

The town elder, Algerian, moved with a sleight limp to the center of the crowd. He stared at the dragon with his one remaining eye, his body was scared and battered with the hard life he was born into years ago. "Why are you here dragon? We do not enjoy your company on nights such as this but tomorrow your more then welcome to return." The people cheered knowing tomorrow starts the long hunting season, the time of Io's vengeance.

Aasterinian smiled enjoying the rare courage people seldom show to dragons. "Perhaps tomorrow you can leave?" A sudden hush came to the crowd.

Algerian looked up skeptically. "Don't cause us false hopes dragon. Our suffering is sufficient already."

"I am Aasterinian, messenger of Io. I bring Io's word, a opportunity for freedom and perhaps even forgiveness. You were not th ones who angered Io, and those who angered him have long sense passed. Still a dragons anger lasts long, longer then the lives of your kind."

"Your words are well chosen, but wasted get to the point dragon."

"Two of Io's children have fought for over a millennium. They have dragged their fight into a war, the dragon fall war. The war is quickly becoming more then dragon kind can bare. Your charge is to stop this was from spreading. Do this and Io will forgive the sins of your fathers."

 

[cats]

Kay

IC: 'Any one who goes with you is a traitor to us.' The crowd remained quiet at the elders statement. The dragon took a quick look at the crowd and saw we all agreed with the elder.

'I was wondering if this would come up' The elder tilted his head slightly as he watched the dragon speak. 'You feel, that any one leaving here is either abandoning you all for selfish reasons, or perhaps they will weaken your defenses. Well Io thought about that, and as an added incentive the slayers won't come tomorrow or any other day as long as a living member of your clan is carrying out this task.'

Every one I've ever known can live in peace, if some one goes. But the ones who go... Well its to late to think about that. "I will go." Maybe I should of waited for the dragon to ask for volunteers.

 

[The GrandMage]

Lars

Lars slowly wandered through the streets of the village. He was undoubtedly late to the annoucing roar. But on a moonless night like tonight, his sight was nearly useless. He'd forgone the slight relief that a torch would bring, and instead had blindfolded himself to keep his weak sight from betraying him. It was a good time to test his other senses.

He heard the crowd, and slowly shifted his way towards it. Slender fingers wrapped around his wrist, and he stopped. "It's Aasterinian," she whispered to him. "The messenger of Io. Io has sent a chance for redemption. The slayers won't come as long as a clan member lives to-"

"I GO," Lars called out into the night, not letting her finish.

The time had come at last.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Rohan stood among the crowd, with a ham in one hand and a tankard of beer in the other. He bellowed at the dragon, "If i go, will there be much battle?" he asked, that familiar friend called battlelust calling out to him.

 

[cats]

Aasterinian

IC: The dragon marked the two quick volunteers, and the one prospect. "Battle depends on you, Io understands the the fag can be as useful as the tongue. But that is why both are in your mouth." Him he looks resolute.

"You three will be the start but there is much work to be done, and many talons make work light, so I will return tomorrow to see if more are willing. You three will begin now." In a flash all three had traveled with the dragon into the mouth of a large cave.

The three quickly took in there surroundings, each in their own unique way. "I will be quick because time is short. Valignat!" Upon uttering the draconic word a series of touched let up the walls, and went deep inside the cave. In the darkness of the cave the shimmer of blue crystal can be seen.

"Both Bahamut and Tiamat have interest on this continent, so help from Io is limited. The gods have a policy, of not interfering in mortal affairs. Breaking this policy allows any god who wishes to interfere with the same affair. So I can not directly stop the hunt from starting tomorrow. I can however bring your kind here, because Tiamat and Bahamut won't break Io's law."

The dragon walked deeper into the cave stopping several hundred feet before the first crystal window. "I can not go further. In this cave are all the dragon slayers that would of attacked your village over the last 100 days. Io has placed them in those crystal windows, at midnight tonight those windows disappear, and all 100 of the warriors are released. At the bottom of this cave is a round marble stone on glass pillar. Shatter the stone and the portal to your world will not open, and the slayers will return to their homes. If the portal opens you can still close it by shattering the stone."

"When you finish I will contact you with further instructions. The cave is 6 miles in all. So travel quickly, but don't ware yourselves down. I can't guarantee this will not end in a battle." After those words the dragon vanished.

 

[The GrandMage]

Lars

Lars untied his blindfold, blinking at the light. It wasn't as good as daylight, but it was much better to the near blindness of the village. He grunted, and pulled out his swords, and started down the path, looking at the representations of the slayers, and wishing he could just kill them now.

"Slayers. Bah. Better to kill them off and be done with it, really."

However, the gods had given their decrees. Most of them probably only hunted chromatics, anyway. Not that it mattered to Lars, who shifted chromatic himself. Still, it would be better not to go against what the Gods set forth. Undoubtedly Lendys would approve of a diplomatic solution.

Probably approve of the irony of a slayer-hating slayer-decendant freeing slayers.

He grunted again, and continued on. Sometimes he thought it would be easier to be a man without faith. Maybe once this was over and he wasn't cursed anymore he'd give it a try.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Rohan stood in wonder at the dragons magic. When the dragon left he returned to his beer only to find that it was empty. "Blasted lizard-spell!" he said "i was enjoying that beer!" He finished the ham and pulled his staff axe from its holster on his back. He placed the butt on the ground, and opening a belt pouch produced a whetstone. He began sharpening his axe with a practiced hand. He then replaced the whetstone and produced his great pipe, and proceeded to light it with flint and tinder. Puffing contentedly, he said "Top of the morning to ya lads, My name is Rohan, son of Rurik Bloodaxe and Aisling daughter of Donnchadh. The only half-dwarf i ever met! What are your names?"

 

[cats]

Kay

"Yeah I can't say I knew any half dwarves before you. I myself am half elf. So I'm assuming if we called our selves half human we'd be the same race. But that doesn't matter, perhaps we should get going." I looked down the hall at the crystal windows ad there traped occupants. "If these windows contiue for 6 miles then we'll be greatly out numbered at sun set."

"What about you?" I adressed theslayer hater. "I'm not sure as to why you wear a blindfold, and now seem to be using your eyes."

 

[Screech]

Davina had sat just outside the village and watched as the huge bronze dragon flew down and started talking with the townsfolk. Talking! Imagine that? The great and powerful true dragons actually wanting to start a dialogue with the ancestors of those that angered them! Something big must be happening. Something real big.

Standing up, she checked her bundled chain under her cloak and smiled to herself. If that dragon came back, then she'd be very interested to find out just what it wanted. After all, her curiosity was piqued, and she never let anything go unexplored when she didn't want it to

 

[The GrandMage]

Lars

Lars grunted, and continued on. "I'm nightblind. The darker ist is, the less I see. On a moonless night like tonight my eyes are a weakness, because they try to see but can't. Here at least I can see something. Now are you two done chatting? If you don't mind, I'd like to act like I'm doing what we're here for."

Lars continued on at a swift pace, easilly outdistancing his comrades.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Rohan laughed, then took a good look at the Half-Elf "Your not a wizard are ye? i dont trust wizardry, trying to control nature through book-magic angers the spirits, count that careful friend Kay."

 

[cats]

Kay

IC: "Wizardry no, sorcery yes. No books involved just a natual creature and a natural force of nature." We all set out at a quick pace, the nightblind man out front, being unacustomed to runing myself I only kept pace with the half dwar by the shortnes of his legs.


We traveled for well over an hour. My time was spent focsing on the path, which wasn't to hard since the path was large enough to fit mst dragons, but out of the corner of my eyes I watched the crystal windows. "I'm going to catch my breath some." I leened against the wall "So at least this path isn't up hill." I looked down to the ground and then the crystal window.

The window was odd in that the crystal was concave the middle seeping in less then half an inch. That seemed odd since at the start of our trail the windows were convex, the crystal sticking out an inch or so.

 

[The GrandMage]

Lars

Lars slowed a moment, and looked back at the man who was resting. He sighed, and shook his right arm out, letting the rapier move free. He slid the slashing sword home, and threw the rapier into his off hand, running through a few simple arm-motions as he started off again. There was no time for these delays. They'd catch up when they could.

Lars tried to think about how long they'd been in here. How long had The Messenger said they had? Until midnight? Lars hissed, and started to jog along the way. The faster this could be dealt with, the better.

 

[rengadeirishman]

Rohan stopped with Kay. "That one is quite a conversationalist, ain't he?" Rohan said. "Sorcery eh? well if its natural gift from the spirits surely it wont anger them. I like you half-elf, though i dont like elves generally, and i hear Elves have no love lost for dwarves neither. Perhaps as you said we should call ourselves half-human, then we could be like brother's. never much liked me da anyway, he was a mean drunken bastard." Rohan said "Ready to continue?"

 

[cats]

Kay

IC: "Well, I don't have family at this point. But such was or lot in life. But lets get back to work." The quiet one put his rapier away and started off again. "So any one else suprised we havn't found any traps?"

 

[Screech]

Davina moved into the viggale in as casual a way as she could manage. The townsfolk were still gathered mostly in the town centre. Moving around, she acted as if she had only just woken up. She was able to ply quite a bit of information out of them, too. Seems that the bronze dragon made an offer to remove the Curse in exchange for a task. And that task was to stop a war. Interesting. Also, there were whispers that it would return for more volunteers, and Davina DeVir would be there to take up the task

 

[cats]

Aasterinian

IC: The great bronze dragon circled over the village once more. "They stopped for rest the fools. They only have an hour left." The adult dragon landed at the towns edge next to a tribes woman.

"You look intelligent, would you like to help 3 lazy men save your people" The fast talking dragon didn't wait for a response and continued. "Good, I knew you looked wise... and your pretty too. Well any how the short of it is every one here can be free shortly if you help Io. Three men already volunteered but they need a capable leader and being female your the best qualified and all. That extra appendage really messes with them. Any how they can feel he details but I need you to deliver a message. You see they have an hour to stop the invaders from the main world. So I need you to deliver that message while our there try and help them out Okay. Thank you." The dragon said one more word it's native tongue and suddenly she appeared before the others in the cave.

 

[Screech]

The great Bronze had returned! And she had prety much just conscripted Davina into service. No matter, because she wanted to go anyway. That, and most of what she had said was true. A good woman is what they need to lead, and she would be that woman!

Davina looked around at the somewhat startled men that stood assembled in the cave. She ran a hand through her arvellous white hair and smiled. "Well now. She was right. With less than an hour to save the world, you're standing around and smoking. Really. You men." She sighed, shaking her head as she radied her barbed length of chain. "Let's get moving, yes? Tempus fugit, as you know..."

 

[cats]

kay

IC: "Tempus what now, and where the heck did you com from. Wait shes some sort of illusion trap." I geastured withmy hands and spoke a small phrase, completeing my casting of dispell magic. "Okay shes real, so who is she and why is she here."

 

[Screech]

Davina scowled at the man who had just tried to cast a spell on her. She wouldn't stand for much of that in here! "Of course I'm real! I've been sent by the great Bronze dragon to get you lot off of your behinds, and moving. Now, if you will kindly follow me, we have a task to complete" Davina gestured and summoned a small ball of fire to hover near her, before turning to look off down the long cave. "Oh, and it means 'time flies' "

 

[cats]

Kay

IC: "Um, miss... Well what ever your name is. We just casme from that dirction?"

 

[Screech]

Davina managed to stop herself from groaning at her obvious mistake, and turned back around, managing a smile. "Well now, as I was teleported in here, I couldn't have known that. Thank you for pointing it out. And it's Davina DeVir. Now, shall we all start to walk? Existance won't save itsself"

 

[The GrandMage]

Lars

Lar turned, and slid his rapier away. He grabbed Kay by the ear, and pulled him forward, giving him a swift kick to the backside. "Oh, I wonder why we haven't hit any traps," he said mockingly. "It's not like this is a highly magical locale of the Gods that's probably warded against invaders, with a Dragon God themself gaining us access. Surely that would be too easy! No, we need a series of uses pitfalls to go against anyone daring enough to have the power and brains to fuck with Io's will."

Lars stormed off, past the woman, and took the lead again. "It's a cave dedicated to bringing dragonslayers out to kill cursed people a God hates. It's not exactly ancient ruins with a half-dozen creatures squatting in it's bowels, leaving pitfalls for each other. In case you didn't notice, our esteemed Messenger of Io spoke and the place gave light. Why? Oh, yeah, the Dragon Gods own the place. The biggest trap we have is you sitting around questioning everything whilest our limited timeframe for stalling the slayers closes. If there are traps around, they're likely set by one of the Gods, say Tiamat or Bahamut, or even Io. In which case it will kill us outright because they're Gods. They have a bit more at their disposal then a few poison darts or pitfalls. And if there were something stupid enough to waste time building pitfalls, like goblins, you'd have seen a sign of them by now. Not exactly a clean species."

Lars finished his hateful speech with a grunt, and pushed on at a gruelling pace. Next thing you knew, the fool was going to be breaking into peasant's houses and searching their drawers for magical swords. "Just ignore them, Davina. The both of them are only good for standing behind as archers fire a volly at you."

 

[Screech]

Davina laughed at Lars' comment. In fact, she hadn't laughed naturally like that in a good while. She could see that he would be the most proactive one. The sorcerer would likley be somewhat annoying, but probably useful. The dwarf, however, would be about as useful as a, well, a dwarf.

She fell into step next to the angry man and smiled to herself. This would prove to be very interesting indeed. "So. I don't believe I caught your name, mr...?"

 

[rengadeirishman]

"Watch your words blind one!" he said to Lars "Or i shall watch them for ye." he said, patting his palm with the axe. "And why by the Hammer of Dubhtach would the damn lizards send us an Elf-Witch?" he said, greatly vexed. Rohan put his pipe away, and started sprinting. "Come on townfolk, are you all in such bad shape?" he taunted them as he ran past and then far ahead. "Some damnable townhumie insulting me? bah!" he said as he kept going