Dragon Riders [IC]

[BelGareth]

𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓 𝕽𝖎𝖉𝖊𝖗𝖘

It was something of a surreal experience, one moment, you were traveling through a portal, or more aptly put, you tripped, landing in what you thought was a pool, but turns out, someone decided to leave a portal just sitting there on the ground. And the next, you were face to face with a giant lizard, reptilian eyes regarded you lazily, a vestigial eyelid slid over and back down again, as you realize the great beast was asleep!

It seemed like ages, the great beast had awoken, and spoke to you, inside your mind, and then, without warning, and what seemed to be a lifetime, you were thrown back out the portal, a group of disparate strangers staring at you with the knowing look of; 'did you just experience that? yes you did'.

And as quickly as you are all standing their, drenched in water, hair wet, and clothes seeping, you hear a loud 'pop' and you see an elderly man with a cane, "Finally! I've been looking for you all for days! The King needs to speak to you, come on, lets go!" he says, holding one hand out, signifying you to take it.

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/24/c6/ad/24c6ad3522499f75172e5b56b753988f.jpg



𝕯𝖗𝖆𝖌𝖔𝖓'𝖘

You were awoken, after how long, you know not. The sleep took a while to shed, the slumber being long, and dark, but you awoke nonetheless, and a mortal was there to guide you, converse, and bring you back to the land of the living. Something, clicked, and you know a bond was formed, some how, some way, with this little mortal thing, and even though it disappeared back through the portal, you feel yourself fading as well, the view changes from a dark dank cave to that of bright white, snow almost blinding, atop a peak somewhere.

You know not where you are, but you can feel the pull, a small tug in a southern direction.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar awoke slowly, revelling in his extended slumber, but pleased now in a dim way that it was over. He stretched out, feeling the air rush over his wings. He examined himself, and could see that his wounds had all healed from his massive last battle against the three drow Houses opposed to the House he had allied to. He could now feel a nagging sensation, as if there were a thought belonging to someone else somehow wedged into his mind. He pictured the small figure who had appeared through the portal, then had disappeared again. And now he sensed that this figure, previously unknown but now so vital to his interests, was somewhere to the south. He rose from the snowy peak he was upon, and looked around, seeing a small group of his brethren with him. He could see that they were freshly awakened as well, and he suspected that they had experienced the same thing as he had. "Good slumber, my kin?" he asked. "Did you all just witness small two legs come through a portal then disappear again, or was this a vision or dream that only I experienced?"

[Lioslaith]

Kristans eyes narrowed at the man offering his hand, ”Which king are you referring to?”

The word king comes out as almost a curse.

[Heavenblade]

Akira snarls, her bright eyes darting all over the weird man "I answer to no king of humans. However, if these are the kings you refer to... She points with her clawed thumb towards the bottom of the pool in which she stands We might have something in common.

[AvatarVecna]

Shadowvar awoke slowly, revelling in his extended slumber, but pleased now in a dim way that it was over. He stretched out, feeling the air rush over his wings. He examined himself, and could see that his wounds had all healed from his massive last battle against the three drow Houses opposed to the House he had allied to. He could now feel a nagging sensation, as if there were a thought belonging to someone else somehow wedged into his mind. He pictured the small figure who had appeared through the portal, then had disappeared again. And now he sensed that this figure, previously unknown but now so vital to his interests, was somewhere to the south. He rose from the snowy peak he was upon, and looked around, seeing a small group of his brethren with him. He could see that they were freshly awakened as well, and he suspected that they had experienced the same thing as he had. "Good slumber, my kin?" he asked. "Did you all just witness small two legs come through a portal then disappear again, or was this a vision or dream that only I experienced?"

"They were here, all right. And they're clearly involved in our awakening - it'd be quite a coincidence if they weren't."

[GentlemanVoodoo]

Raijin awoken his eyes lifting his head like a rising snake eyes wide to his surrounding. An look of utter confusion befell his face. His wounds from his last battle were gone though some scars remained. More so it felt like a dream of some kind from ages ago. Then there was the sight of...well the western cousins. Long has it been since he met one of them though he could guess this would be a first encounter for one of his kind.

Shadowvar's response was met with a flurry of words in Raijin's native tongue. "악몽과 먼 꿈의 수면. 그 중 하나는 우리 앞에 필멸의 필멸의 존재가 나타났습니다. 이것은 당신이 경험한 것이 아닌가요?". For a moment he stopped himself to pause then recalled his words. "Apologies, I have not used the western tongue of "Common" in some while. But if you can call our sleep that then I guess so. But yes, I thought I had a dream of some mortal approaching me of which we connected. Though I see there is more to this than just a weird happening.", Raijin noted with his head to the portal. "I suppose our answers lay outside that for I thought I heard talking going on."

[B3ZERKER]

Sinvalle took some time to stir, though the temperature dropping substanitally made her gigantic form shiver and quake, dragons of the crimson blood reviled the cold.
Her reptilian, golden eyes widened and opened, before she snarled, rising to her feet and stretching her wings.
She couldn't remember how she had arrived to the icy land or why she had slept for so long, her memory was fuzzy. Likely from the two legged caster who had cast
a spell on her....

Sinvalle couldn't stop shivering as she turned to the other dragons. The sight of the stunted, shadowy, black dragon was unslightly to her,
while a steel skinned dragon and a... dragon? She peered at Rajin, concluding that he was indeed a dragon, just one she had not seen
before. She kept her feelings toward the former hidden, decrepit as he might be, he was at least one of her kind.

"I don't where I am or who put me here... but this two legs you speak of seems to be responsible. I feel
something pull upon my heart, some magic compelling me to fly towards them. She announced in Draconic.
"These winds scathe my skin, I have no intention of staying here. I will satiate my hunger and find a cave, perhaps
on this mortal who has dared to try to control me."

With that, Sinvalle flexed her wings and flapped with a great deal of force, propelling herself into the sky.

[Buufreak]

The man dressed in an elegant dogi steadies his footing, shaking off the haze of his mind from all these abrupt travels and developments. Naze kyō? he mutters to himself, then with a firm and stern step forward, he addresses.

Such frivality and hostility. Such things are not befitting of honor. I am called Miromoto Taikashi. Please forgive me, your king? Is he more akin to a Daimyo, a Shogun, or an Emperor? I wish to know so I am to speak correctly in his presence.

[samduke]

Hearing the man speak "Finally! I've been looking for you all for days! The King needs to speak to you, come on, lets go!"

Following the man to see what this king wanted and what it would involve, looking around at the others that were also apparently following the man.

[BelGareth]

Riders

The well dressed man frowns at you all and peers, as if waiting for some punch line, but with none forthcoming, he sighs. "Have you all lost your minds??? your king, the one who sent you on this mission, well, i guess he's not the king of all of you, but enough so that you will take his coin, what happened? It's been much longer than we had thought. Come on, let's go" as if he was talking to petulant children.

Dragons
You seem to be on a large ridge of mountains, whose spine stretches east and westwards, the peak you are residing upon, seems to the be the tallest in both directions. To the north, you can see rolling hill sides and scrubland, rivers, and few forests, it meets the ocean further up the continent.

To the south, you see forests from the mountainside to as far as you can see.

[paradox26]

"I feel the two leg who made contact with me resides somewhere to the south. Do any of you get the same feeling or sensation?" Shadovar asks the other dragons. He prepares to fly off alone in that direction if the others do not feel the need to go with him in that direction.

[Heavenblade]

Enough with the riddles! Akira clenches her fists, and small flames burst around her I have no time for meddling monkeys like you!

[BelGareth]

The man tilts his head with confusion, "Fair enough then." he says simply, and with a snap of is fingers, vanishes.

You are all in a large cavern underground, the darkness is almost suffocating, and you can hear the slow steady drip of water upon rock.

Dragons go here (https://forums.giantitp.com/showthread.php?637720-Dragon-Riders-Dragons&p=25238566#post25238566)

[Lioslaith]

Kristan was just about to speak when the impatient man vanished. He fumbled though his pack and found a torch to light. ”Who is here with me?”he asked the darkness.

Domino chirped quietly on Kristans shoulder, There are others in the room not speaking. We should be cautious. she communicated mentally with him.

[Buufreak]

Taikashi is baffled by the mans rudeness, and then darkness. He searches his body for his belongings, and then draws out his two blades, holding them above his head crossed, letting their dim glow illuminate what is possible.

I am here. I am Miromoto Taikashi. Who do I speak with? Are you one of the others from before?

[Lioslaith]

”Well met, I am Kristan. Yes I believe I am one of the ones from before. It would appear we have been abandoned.

Kristan gets his torch lit and holds it aloft to survey his surroundings. See if you can find a way out. He appears to say to the air and a small piece of shadow detaches itself from his shoulder and flits off into the darkness looking for a way out.

[samduke]

It appears there are many of us here.

[Lioslaith]

It appears there are many of us here.

"And who might you be?"

[samduke]

My name is evie, and who are you

[Lioslaith]

"As I mentioned to Miromoto my name is Kristan." Mentally he asks the small shadow that detached from his shoulder Any luck with finding a way out?

[Heavenblade]

My name is Akira Brightscale, the small and muscular kobold half talks, half snarls I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but if I make a quick headcount of the bared-skin monkeys around here, Im not sure if thats the case...yet. How did you all get in here?

[BelGareth]

The cavern you are in is a large uncut room, seemingly hewn out of the roots of the mountain, the dais you all stand upon, is an intricately carved wonder, with a shimmering pool in the center, the portal where you all came form. Your light isn't enough to illuminate the whole cavern, but it is enough to see pillars, and a door..leading somewhere else, a sniff and a pulse from being alive allows you to feel the cool breeze upon your skin coming from that direction.

[Lioslaith]

"My guess is...well...tis best I don't guess. I have no idea how I got here but that breeze and the flicker of the torch tells me how I will leave."

[samduke]

seems that bit of light shows a door and breeze are the way out, turning and walking in that direction

[BelGareth]

You follow the air and the light, it turns out to be a winding, cold stone staircase, as you ascend, you wonder how the light managed to get that far deep, but it becomes irrelevant as you surface to what seems like winter outside, which doesn't seem to fit with what you remember, if you remember, your memory is fuzzy as yous stumble outside.


https://www.tribality.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/grady-frederick-caverns-final-reduced1-750x375.jpg

The weather has turned, and sleet is coming down in sheets, snow is a foot thick in some places.


Everyone make a fort save vs Severe cold
Cold weather protection is needed, current temp is by -10° F.

Everything is difficult terrain due to snow
Visibility ranges are cut by half, resulting in a -4 penalty on Spot and Search checks. It has the same effect on flames, ranged weapon attacks, and Listen checks as severe wind.

Severe Cold: Unprotected characters must make a Fort save every 10 minutes (DC 15, +1 per previous check), taking [roll0] points of nonlethal damage on each failed save. A partially protected character need only check once per hour.

[Lioslaith]

“Gods be damned at this cold.” Kristan curses under his breath as he wraps himself against the cold.

[roll0]

[BelGareth]

As you all step out onto the snow, easily overcoming the inclement weather, it crunches under your feet as you move further outwards. How did you get here? your memories are suspiciously blank on that, you recall everything up to a few days ago, and then the strange dreams of being in front of a Dragon? was it all just a dream? or had it been real? Shaking your head, the fuzz doesn't lift from your mind as you move further away from the entrance. You move through a large crevasse in the mountain side, which is protecting you from the majority of the winter storm that has kicked up around you, but as you wind your way through, you find it opens out to a small plateau on the edge of the mountain. You are still very high up, and looking down, you can see forests, hills, and plains below.

A plume of smoke climbs into the sky not too far off in what seems like a small hamlet near a small woods. The weather having not hit them yet, perhaps it was local to the mountainside and wouldn't, you couldn't quite tell, but it didn't seem to be moving as of yet.

A small voice appeared in your minds, a child like voice, innocent and pure "Watch out, everything is not as it seems, You have broken the seals and you will reap and sow what comes after that." looking around you cannot pin point anyone, or thing, again, it enters your mind "You have broken the seals and you will reap and sow what comes after that..." the voice fades as you move forward, with a pulse, as if you passed through some invisible threshold, or barrier, a flash of light and then you are through, turning around, you see nothing but the side of the mountain, the entrance is gone.

You feel an incredible urge to go seek out the fire below.

[Lioslaith]

Kristan heads towards the fire and promise of warmth.

[AvatarVecna]

Yahmindok stretches his wings a little before heading towards the light in the distance. The cold was no trouble, but a voice in his head was cause for some concern.

[samduke]

Evie finding the cold a bit much starting to look about for shelter when hearing the voice. Somewhere below there is warmth, it was better than freezing so evie turns and heads down towards the fire.

[Lioslaith]

Kristan adjusts the angle of his walking down the mountainside to help block some of the wind from her as they move.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar sees the two legs walking, using his extremely keen vision. He circles downwards towards them, where they are gathered. He hopes, and suspects, that the one he encountered within his sleeping cave is among them. He can sense the being's presence, and general direction, and that seems to lead him down to where the group of two legs are gathered. He flies down, and several of his companion dragons follow. As he reaches the humanoids, he circles them once, and then lands in front of them.

He studies them carefully as he stands on the snowy mountainside. He tries to figure out which of the humanoids was the one that he had met inside the cave. It is difficult, as all two legs look pretty much alike to him. "You humanoids are a long way from your homelands, I believe. What do you seek up here in the mountains that brings you so far away from the warm lowlands where your kind normally live?" he asks. He hopes that the one he had encountered will be the one to respond, so he can get a sense of his bond through that one's words.

[Lioslaith]

Kristan stares up in awe at the dragons approach, not even thinking to draw his sword, though he doubted that would do much good as an afterthought. As the creatures circled he could sense that what he had felt in the cave was no dream, and that he was bonded now to one of them.

Never one to shy from a task he stepped forward cautiously and raised a hand, Did they even speak a common language? "Greetings....dragons?" he half questioned he was even saying the word. When the inky black one spoke it at least answered one question regarding the language.

"I have no idea where I am in relation to my homeland but being far from it is a good thing." He pondered the dragons question for a bit then answered, "I believe some sort of magic, or even fate for those that would call it so has brought us here. It seems intent on us freezing to death on this mountainside though whilst teasing us with the promise of warmth just beyond our reach."

[paradox26]

Shadowvar is very interested in these humanoids. He normally wouldn't be particularly interested, but their tale, and the fact that these humanoids specifically are here, makes him inclined to learn more about them. Although he is not especially familiar with their kind, he is pretty sure that these are the two legs who entered the cave, and the sensation he feels seems to confirm this, as it led him here. He decides that having beings of possible importance freeze to death on the mountainside is not going to be beneficial. So he makes a decision. "I suppose that, although I cannot return to you to your homelands with magic, we dragons should be able to deal with the freezing on a mountainside part of your problem. We can always eat you as easily down on the plains as we can up here. So if you are not terrified of heights, I can give at least one or two of you a lift to the lowlands, and once you have thawed out, we can continue our discussion. There is something about you that intrigues me for some reason. And I dislike mysteries, so I wish to resolve it quickly," he says, eyes continually flickering to examine the one who had replied to him in particular. For some reason, this one interests him especially.

[Lioslaith]

Chuckling lightly to himself Kristan bowed in thanks at the offer of a 'lift' down the mountainside. He knew full well the weight that an offer like that from an intelligent creature carried. "It would be my honor to be born down the mountain on your back. By the way, I am known as Kristan." With that he strides forward to the beasts face and reaches out to offer a hand in friendship. Ready to mount up and head down. He was no stranger to flight and flying creatures though this would be by far the largest he had ridden.

I sudden wave of sadness flowed though him but was just as quickly gone as he remembered his former companion and how it had given its life so he could escape his fathers forces.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar looks in amusement at the humanoid holding out one hand. He presumes this must be some kind of greeting, but it is one he is unfamiliar with. He decides to be agreeable, though, so he reaches out a single claw for Kristan to hold onto. "Greetings, Kristan. I am known to those of your kind I have known as Shadowvar. It is unlikely that you could pronounce my name in the tongue of dragons, as your mouth is ill-shaped for the task. We can continue this discussion down where it is not so cold, though. Can you find your way onto my back? You will likely find it most comfortable to sit at the base of my neck, and hold onto my mane with your hands, and flanks with your legs," he says.

He lowers himself a little to allow the man to climb up onto his back, even lifting one leg to allow a place for him to step up. He is careful not to move, and potentially throw off, the little being. He is a little tense, though, as he has not been ridden before, and he still has the vague concern that he will be vulnerable to attack by this Kristan, as he will be riding right at neck height. Although that is the natural riding position for a rider, it is also a point where the dragon is most vulnerable.

[Lioslaith]

Kristan climbs up the dragon with ease and settles himself in. Ready for his ride down the mountain and away from this cold. As he gets ready for his ride he says, "Oh, I don't know, Shadowvar, I might could give the name a shot." in Draconic. It was a language his father had insisted he learn as part of his training. Supposedly in reverence to the greatest of flying creatures, though Kristan had thought it mostly a joke until now.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar offers an amused laugh in reply, the noise a deep rumble. "So you speak our language? That is impressive, as few humanoids can do so. But your throat is not designed in such a way that would allow you to speak the syllables, I fear. My name, though, is Shadowvaryderidenthyllyardenstrethdrwn. Make of that what you will, but it is quicker and easier to just call me Shadowvar, I think," he says.

He waits until Kristan is well settled in, then launches into the air, as gently as possible. He feels the rush of chill air, and loves the sensation, as always. He can only imagine how it must feel to this Kristan being on his back. Even if he has flown before, as he suggests, he doubts that he has ridden on the back of anything as powerful or fast as Shadowvar.

With strong beats of his wings, Shadowvar heads down rapidly into the warmer air. He aimes to get closer to the city he saw from on high, though he doesn't fly directly to the city. Instead, he heads for a forest clearing where it is both warm and empty, so the group can talk. He assumes the others will also follow, with dragons allowing the humanoids to ride them, as he had.

He lands gently, almost delicately, and lowers himself to permit Kristan to dismount comfortably.

[BelGareth]

The two of you fly for a short while, Shadovar flies directly away from the mountain, where the winds bite down to the bone, and for a moment, you regretted ever being. But it dissipates quickly, as if the dragon knew, Shadovar then dives down, but is careful as to not go to deep and throw of his newly acquired friend. The air instantly becomes warmer, you continue for a few minutes, for flying from a peak to the foot of a mountain is no small, or short task at all. You fly over cliffs, barren crags, trees that are stubbornly sticking to the sides of the mountain, and curious more stubborn goats that give you a confused look as you pass by, this all spreads out to rolling hills dotted with small thickets of trees here and there.

A pack of Oxen trump in panic as Shadowvar lands softly, and they stampede off, away from the mountain.

The smoke from the fire is not too far, as a dragon flies, but for now you are no longer inside the thimbulwinter and can talk.


I'm assuming it's just you two, unless someone else chimes in.

[Lioslaith]

Kristan was still trying to shake the cob webs out of his brain and figure out where he might be. "Is any of this land familiar to you at all Shadowvar? Nothing is making sense to me yet." He looks towards the fire and then back at the dragon, "Since it has been since...well...ever that Dragons have been a known thing in this world perhaps I should approach the fire alone? What do you think?"

[paradox26]

Shadowvar studies his companion carefully. "Do you have no memory of going to sleep, and are you not from this area either?" he asks. "In answer to your question, I do not recognise this area. I fell asleep to recover from my wounds, but I was deep within the Underdark at the time. When I awoke, I was in a cave at the top of the mountain I met you upon. There were others with me, all dragons, none of whom I knew. I assumed I slept for a long time, as my wounds were healed when I awoke. But has it really been so long since dragons were seen in these lands? What caused my kind to disappear from the knowledge of your people?"

He hesitates a long moment, awaiting a response. Then he adds, "If my kind is now unknown to yours, then it is likely much safer for everyone for you to go and speak to whoever made the fire. They likely cannot harm me, but they might do something that will require me to hurt them."

[Lioslaith]

"You are but myth and legends to us. Figures in children's stories. I am still finding it hard to believe you allowed me to ride you, a dragon." He pauses, "I rode a dragon."

"I do agree, I doubt they are capable of doing any lasting harm to you, they are more likely to harm themselves trying to get away." he chuckles to himself slightly, nodding. "I will go and see if I can determine where we are."

Kristan starts to make his way to the fire and whomever is there.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar offers a toothy smile at the two leg Kristan's excitement and wonder at having ridden a dragon. In his experience, contact with dragons generally evinced one of three reactions. Either they stood in wonder, flew into a rage inspired by fear, or cowered in sheer terror. He was pleased that this Kristan was strong enough to simply settle for wonder.

As Kristan disappears into the forest, headed for the clearing, Shadowvar settles down onto the ground. He figures that the humanoids beside the fire are likely simple hunters or foresters, and are therefore of little danger to him. So he doesn't bother keeping a defensive alert state, instead lying down in a circular style like a creature the humanoids call catlike. He then waits with his infinite patience for Kristan to return, though he is less patient than he would normally be, as he wants to quickly learn what he has missed during his time away from mortals, to see dragons disappear from the land.

[BelGareth]

It doesn't take Kristan long, finding a small path that seems to be an old hunting path, it winds through the tree's undergrowth, opens up into a copse, and then breaks through past an old fence made out of crumbling stones stacked upon each other, from here it opens up to fallow fields. Some domesticated animals graze in a field nearby, a sturdy wooden fence running the perimeter up to the stone one you just passed. They have what seems as tusks, and a single horn coming out of their forehead, but are fat, and slow, they regard you slowly with un-trusting eyes as they slowly chomp on their cud.

From here you can clearly see the village has several buildings near the center that are on fire, large plumes of billowing smoke rise angrily into the sky. It is thick, and grey, you can see people moving about, and the general telltale noise of people doing things, whether it's helping or not.

Looking around, you see you are not too far from the main villages road, and can see several families, and households fleeing in carts. A middle aged man comes running up to you from the road.

"Ho there traveler! Be wary! there be dragons in these parts!" he yells, with an almost excited tone? He then tilts his hat, seeing how you are dressed, and then scampers off back to the road.

[Lioslaith]

Smiling to himself he nods. I wish I had a way to contact the dragon that gave me a ride, he thinks to himself and he makes his way forward. Heading towards the village to see if he can help.

[BelGareth]

As you think that, you realize you hear Shadowvar's thoughts and Shadowvar can hear you.


You have a telepathic bond

[Lioslaith]

Interesting, Shadowvar, it seems some of your kin have already made their presence known, feel free to join me. Kristan reaches out with his bond and asks him to come with.

[paradox26]

Shadowvar's head comes up as he realises he can sense alien thoughts to his own. He immediately recognises that they are in the mental voice of Kristan. He marvels at this, as he has never had a telepathic bond before. He wonders if all thoughts can be heard, or only those he wishes to project. At the request to come to where Kristan is, he reluctantly, for he had just gotten comfortable, rises to his feet. He decides to walk rather than fly, since it is a short distance, and so as to present a lower profile than if he were flying up high. He walks through the forest path after Kristan, keeping an eye open for the small creature and whatever it is that he has found. He wonders at the idea of others of his kind having possibly woken before him. It is a distinct possibility, and he hopes that they have not gone on a rampage.