Private Tales Oh Look, a Dragon

[Maridis Va Dori]

Maridis Va Dori was wandering through the woods sweating with exertion. And, yes, some of the sweat was from the long walk he'd taken, but most of it was from dragging a massive orc's corpse behind him. He was huffing as he approached the large lake he knew existed and fell to his knees as he reached it, he took a drink of the water and turned to the corpse.

"Roknar, you are the fattest bastard I have ever had to drag around." He said while he recovered his breath.

He stood up and grabbed the orcs collar once again, he dragged him as close to the water he could, before he searched through his pockets one last time. He found nothing new and pushed the body into the water, until he got out to his knees with one last grunt he shoved the body, making it drift out into the depth of the lake, his face bobbed up and down, until he rolled over onto his stomach. Maridis recoiled and frowned. "Well, at least you're to dead to drown, right buddy?"

He chuckled and turned around to exit the water, he took a handful of water and raised it to his lips, as the water was in his mouth, he turned and looked at the body. He suddenly spat the water out. "Gross." He muttered as he began drying himself off once he exited the water.

 

[Maho 'Jerik' Sparhawk]

Maho loved the forest. It's boundless tress coming across to the horizon, blanketing the ground that stretched for many miles. There was always something new to find, a plant, an animal, whatever it may be, it was defintely worth researching and learning about. This was one of many trips he made to the forest to collect various bits and bobs, needing to learn more about the world surrounding him, making sure to record every detail and specification. It was fairly hot that day, and the various flowers bloomed and basked in the sharp sunlight, absorbing it's energy to flourish in the daylight.

He had collected several interesting 'artefacts' that day, some flowers he'd never seen before, a fungus that gave off a most terrible stench, and several odd looking weeds which - in hindsight - are most likely going to be nothing more than... well, weeds.

Deciding he needed to collect some water from the nearby river, he hauled his heavy camping equipment and bags, luckily his mount taking some of the burden, and made his way there.

He hesitated, as when he looked towards the river, he saw a man standing there, with the corpse of an orc lying before him.

"I hope that isn't your doing" He hollered towards him. He began to raise his staff, just in case.

 

[Maridis Va Dori]

Maridis smiled at the man further down the lake and waved as he dried his hair with a spare shirt. He nodded at the body "That? Yes, that was my doing but I promise you there was a good reason." Maridis paused and thought for a second. "Well, depends on your definition of a good reason. I killed him because he was planning on robbing the caravan of my client, so you can see why I'd do that." Maridis looked at the staff. "Nice walking staff you have there, friend, let's not use it as any more than that." Maridis smiled again and drew his sword, resting it on his lap as he sat one a log. "I'd hate to have to push another body in the lake." He said as he sat there.

 

[Maho 'Jerik' Sparhawk]

Walking staff... that ticked him off a little. He'd spent months carving and building that staff. Although, looking at it, it is on the plain side. "Threatening me huh?" It seems this wasn't the day to come picking flowers. "I'm just a simple man picking Mushrooms and flora, and i'll have you know, i know how to use this walking stick" He wanted to sound as placid as possible, but he was always frustrated by the tough guy types, especially since he is severely lacking in the physical department,

"I however, don't agree with you killing that orc, thief or otherwise." He paced slowly, taking a seat down on a stone a little ways away from the swordsman.

"Sheath your sword, there's no need for that."

 

[Pele]

The scent of water and the smell of blossoms tickled the nose as a cooling wind blew across the mirror lake. Above them there was the faintest fleck of red in the flawless azure sky but there was no reason to look up until a challenging roar echoed off the distant mountains. It sounded like withering flame, the crack of bolt of lightning, the whipping wind of a hurricane, and the deep rumble of a earthquake all smashed together. That sound would be called a fear inducing cacophony if not so distant.

Then the shape started to descend at a leisurely pace, growing in size until it was clear what it was and what had made the riotous noise. Though perhaps the truth was not believed. It was a dragon that now circled in a slow drop and as it grew closer it only continued to grow in size until it was as big as a large house. Its shadow now trailed upon the rocky shore and its reflection shone in the calm mountain lake.

Large blush colored scales decorated the creature's underbelly and its head was tilted so that one glowing molten gold eye stared at the two men on the ground. Curved black horns crested its head and swept back to end well behind and above the line of its jaw. Now the smell of smoke pervaded this small stretch of shoreline. The dragon hissed, clicked its tongue, and let loose a low growl. It took little brain power to realize that it was going to land on the shore not very far away.

Maho Spahawk | Maridis Va Dori

 

[Maridis Va Dori]

Maridis stood and pointed at the dragon. "Maybe I'll sheath my sword a little later?" He said as he ran towards where it appeared it was going to land. He didn't know whether or not the dragon would be aggressive, but he certainly wanted to find out. He looked back at the mage. "And you're telling me thieves don't deserve death? Well then we'll get along nicely." He laughed and kept running, trying to judge where the dragon would land.

 

[Maho 'Jerik' Sparhawk]

Maho could not believe his eyes. A Dragon. It had been almost 15 years since he last met a dragon, beautiful creatures, possibly the oldest race of beings to still linger on. The Swordsman clearly had the right idea, as he was already beginning to follow towards where the creature would land.

"Wait-"

He mounted, and began to ride towards where the magnificent entity would land. He could not give up the chance of seeing one, or even speaking to one. He had been studying for years on how to speak in their tongue, a craft few have ever mastered, a craft he dearly wanted to practice. He spoke a word in the 'Old-Speech' and the tip of his staff began to glow, he rode, following, praying to meet the Red Dragon he had seen.

 

[Pele]

The creature angled its body back, craned its neck forward, and extended its hind legs in the direction of the ground as it came in. As its huge wings came down in a flurry of movement smaller stones shifted and scattered under it and the nearby lake rippled with whitecaps caused by the buffeting gale. One more beat of those wings vibrated and split the air before they were folded and then its body lurched forward. The highest points of those wings also tilted forward and then checked the dragon's momentum. The smell of smoke was much stronger now that it had landed.

The central and left side of its body curved away from Maridis leaving its tail and head closer to him with its tail closer to the lake. It looked at him with glowing golden eyes, watching him come forward with his sword. Its cresting horns curved in just enough at the eye line to allow for front facing vision just as all true predators possessed. Its lips curled back slightly showing a row of ivory teeth, some as long as daggers and all as sharp. That tail was equally intimidating. It looked more like a massive bone axe with an armored haft and bone ridges along its full length. Truly the creature was a fearful sight. Perhaps Maho's steed would be giving him serious issue with being forced to approach such a creature.

"You are in my territory. Why?" came a rumbling voice with a blunt question.

Maho Spahawk | Maridis Va Dori

 

[Maho 'Jerik' Sparhawk]

"I...I..."

The creature was massive. It's size was so grand, the tension that came with it split the air open like hatchet through meat. It's scales looked tough, impenetrable. Strong. Even if someone wanted to take it on, any conventional weapon would most likely be useless, and even with Maho's Magical Prestige, he would not be able to stand against such a creature.

"Well i..." His mount was kicking back violently, he climbed off of it, subsequently bucking and running away. That's a little inconvenient-

"I was, well... researching." Under his breath, he muttered "picking flowers". This definitely would not be the time to practice his magic, nor his Dragon speech...

 

[Maridis Va Dori]

Maridis smiled charmingly and ran a hand through his hair. "I am in your territory, og great one, because there was a thief trying to steal from you, I killed him and was just about to leave." Maridis said as he bowed low. Of course, that wasn't true, but it also technically wasn't a lie. That was the kind of thing Maridis told a lot. Half-truths. Maridis kept bowing as he waited for this enormous dragon to respond. He hoped he'd be allowed to live, he really didn't feel like dying.

 

[Pele]

The dragon's nostrils flared a moment and its eyes narrowed to slits. "Is that so?" It tilted its head to the body of the orc that even now had floated face down, further out into the lake. Its eyes remained narrowed as it turned back to look at Maridis. Then it started to make a low clicking sound. Sped up and softened it may have resembled the sound of a cat purring. "By blood and by fire. I like being complimented and placated but do not think me some stupid animal. Your explanation is as flimsy as a burning orc hut and though you play at attempts to mollify me your words insult instead." It was not that it had some supernatural ability to detect a lie. It was that his explanation made no sense to it given the circumstances.

The dragon tilted its head then to look at Maho as he spoke. There was a brief silence. Then the dragon closed its eyes, tilted its head up , and let lose brief successive trumpet like blasts from its mouth. This could only be laughter. "Picking flowers?" It then tilted its head in the direction Maridis had come from as if it heard something they didn't.

Maridis Va Dori | Maho Spahawk

 

[Maho 'Jerik' Sparhawk]

As much as Maho didn't believe there was any shame in research, picking flowers may not have been the most 'Scholarly' thing for a wizard to do, especially in the presence of a dragon. He respected it's wisdom, it's voice bellowed out to the pair, clearly containing a sense of knowledge and prodigy. He agreed with his sentiment, the Warrior clearly spouting nonsense, especially the phrase 'o great one' ; as much as Maho hadn't spoke to many dragons (not due to lack of trying) a compliment is a compliment, but he wasn't about to pretend he was so far inferior to the ancient standing before him.

He'd looked towards where the warrior had come from. Had he noticed something? Was there something coming from the bushes that was going to ambush them? In any case, the end of Maho's staff began to glow with a bright orange colour, signals of preparing for a magical offensive attack.

"Do you sense something is near?"

Pele | Maridis Va Dori