Post by Beets The Beetle (Feenix) on Aug 25, 2024 10:57:17 GMT
A group of us were invited to lunch at Frigus and Waffles' home in New Hillborrow before going on what should’ve been an easy trip with them to claim another dragon herald piece at a place called the Icewood Dale.
Though I’m not one of the Heralds and quite flittin’frankly was overwhelmed at the idea of all that ancient dragon/elemental saving the world business the last time I got caught up in it, I thought it would be rude to decline Frigus’s invitation.
Amble and his pup Stiffy joined us on the job today-both who confirmed weren’t Heralds either and were just along for the journey, starry-girl tiefling Orianna, and a very strangely acting Digs. I figured at first it may have had something to do with all the Herald business-I mean my first reactions hadn’t been much better, but it turned out for Digs it was something a lot deeper and more..personal.
After a ‘cosy’ and mostly tasty lunch, until Digs gave Frigus that awful falafel-buggin’heck that thing smelled like it had been pulled out of the sewer, and from the time Frigus spent in the bathroom it would soon returning there. Orianna warped us through a tree and out into the warm bubbled haven of Kuldahar, surrounded by snow covered tundra-kinda a reverse so snow globe-which was a good thing as even with my Ring of Warming and Frigus’s ever presence knitwear collection it looked mighty chilly out there.
Orianna went over to ‘commune’ to the largest Oak tree in the place-the biggest one I’d ever seen-who told us they recalled seeing a big old white dragon once who left something for them to keep an eye on, though what exactly they could not precisely remember. They did confirm though with my pointing out a rather obvious looking wizard tower sticking up towards the edge of the bubble that it’s owner Caliban would be a good person to seek further help from.
Chatting over delicious sweet tea with the wizard Caliban we learnt not only was I oldest of currently assembled group-counting some adverse magical effects on others parts, but that Caliban would happily teleport us the Plain of Dust, where they believed this mission's ‘herald piece’, belonging to Thalistraza was hidden.
Another magical warp later and amongst the dusty dunes Orianna spotted a pretty tell-tale dragon egg shaped beacon which seemed like the right way to go. Upon reaching it who should turn up but Thalistraza-or Frigus’s Ma as she allowed them to call her now, I had to keep reminding myself it was a Herald and not maternal thing. However speaking of maternal, Thalistraza’s mothering instincts honed on something I was unaware of about our nervous party member Digs, his dragon soul trapping armour…
At first Digs merely stated that he’d simply found it, but in the presence of Thalistraza even in her human form was more than enough to make that lie slip away to reveal that he had been binding self-slain dragon souls himself to the armour in order to use their power. It was..a tense discussion, Dig’s first accusing the Heralds themselves of being in their own kind of dragon-cult and that why shouldn’t he utilise slain dragons Powers to bolster himself. Use them to keep himself safe by being as strong as they are, whilst also punishing them in turn them for what their pain their kind has caused not just to his own life but to so many others.
Thalistraza reaction was befittingly calm in line with my past meetings with her. She did not rage, did not roar, but her words held such anger and sadness as she spoke: “You wish to be safe-yet you bind the souls of dragons to you…It is unnatural…To bind a soul of an undead whether kobold or dragon is wrong…The dragons that cause pain-pay the price afterwards..It is my brother that deals that judgement…”
I hoped that was true, for both Digs sake, and for Qirliria’s, I hope that red monstrosity that had shattered her had suffered . Would I want to use it’s powers though? To taint every choice I made with its anger, hatred and ferocity? Almost insect-ceptedly I felt more than heard that ever present inner drone in my chest…f
I shook my heard, I already had one monstrosity to worry about reigning in I did not need another.
As I pulled myself out of my own reflecting I saw Orianna walking away after saying something to Digs, I didn’t hear what she said, but it was clear to see her words had left him looking..broken.
Following Thalistraza we soon arrived at our destination, a swirling spire of wind, dust and glass shards, below which stood a shifting elemental figure and a glass and sand almost mockery copy of Frigus’s dragon pal Waffles containing a bright light in its center, which was later revealed to be Thalistraza’s herald piece.
A battle soon began with Thalistraza tackling the elemental in her dragon form whilst the rest of dealt with the shifting stabbing sand copy of Waffles. I don’t remember much of it, except my words to Digs as he stood conflicted dagger in hand that I shouted over the wind to him: “You’ve just gotta remember Digs…Sometimes there’s good dragons..and sometimes bad dragons..and thats why I have to do this sometimes!” Before I felt my beast overtake me, and thrust my mandibles into the fray.
The battle over and my senses returning I was able to witness Frigus and Waffles become Thalistraza’s heralds proper with the piece reclaimed, a bit of scale-up and plumage puff for them both along with a cosy hug from their new ‘mother’ figure.
Thalistraza gave us a final magical warp back to Frigus’s house we all settled down for a evening of dragon ‘family’ history with Thalistraza, but not before Digs was given a final piece of motherly advise by Thalistraza to pay her brother Azhural a visit in The City of the Dead. As Digs left and Thalistraza spoke of her family and the heritage her new Herald’s upheld in keeping the elemental at bay my thoughts couldn’t help but stray to Digs.
Perhaps he needed some time alone now to think, but when he was ready, I had already decided that I would be there with him to face whatever he needed to next.
We may not be connected like the dragon family, but sometimes families just come together, formed by the friends you meet and the decisions you make.