Legend of Ransera

☠ 5th of Glade, Year 123, A.o.S ☠
Company: Varinios & Taidryn | Thoughts: Hope this works | Mood: Determined

The male smiled viciously, leaning forward, his jesting eyes hiding the snarl of a predator, vast and vicious, "The dragons of Ecith" he said in obvious mockery of Laebirius' words. "Do you think dragons are all just members of a cult, hanging out together?" His eyes narrowed, his tone dangerous now, his gaze piercing, "What would one who stinks of the platinum abominations know of anything beyond the sandbox?" He leaned back, lounging loosely in his chair, the air bristling around him. He raised a lazy hand, and the bartender was on his way over with a bottle of wine, uncorking it as he walked. He handed it to the man, who reached out and grasped him by the wrist, his deadly gaze on the man, "Have you been spreading rumors again of this being a place to find dragons?"

The man smirked, pulling his arm from the man's fingers not as tight as it might've seemed, "Of course. You know we charge tourists more." The seated man snatched the bottle of wine from the bartender, chuckling, "No honor in business, all you capitalists are the same." He took a long swig, passing the bottle to the woman with red hair. She poured it into her glass. She smiled politely at Laebirius and his companions.

"Please, take a seat. Enjoy your drinks. You may call me Carmie." She gestured to their side of the table, "Tell us, how is it that you've come upon such a quest? And why is it you think that the strength of dragons is what you need? Why do you think such strength will be enough? It is no secret that the Commonwealth is home to many dragons, and yet the Primals persist. What is it that you actually know about dragons? Truly know?" Her eyes were kind, her tone curious. "Why not go before the Senate and ask of them? Or ask one of the Chieftains? After all, the Chieftains are the ones who have earned the strength the Primals themselves hold."

She poured some wine into the middle woman's goblet, "After all, the Chieftains are the Heroes of Ecith."

Carmie leaned back, "And we know nothing of you. If we are, in fact, the dragons you seek, and even if we could help you, even if we would help you, what is that you truly have to offer in exchange for dragons to risk a very possible death? And why would we would trust one who comes from a barren wasteland that refuses entry to all the flights lest they join their death cult?"

The bartender had apparently wandered off and returned, with a second round of drinks for Laebirius and his companions, "You may drink on my tab as long as you tell us your story. Spare no detail, tell no lies. How does one such as you find yourself in this situation? What is this book? Why do you need it so badly as to ask this of possible dragons? Why would you be willing to give up anything for it? And what do you even have to give? Tell us your tale, drink your fill, and maybe we will listen, maybe we will help."

☠ 5th of Glade, Year 123, A.o.S ☠
Company: Varinios & Taidryn | Thoughts: Hope this works | Mood: Determined

As Laebirius spoke, Carmie listened intently, the grouchy fellow cast his attention on the many other beautiful men and women that were about the establishment, and the third woman watched on, revealing no reaction or emotion to his words. Every so often she would inject her own questions.

"Your father was an assassin and you learned of this?" Her eyebrow raised, a bit in judgment, not of Laebirius, but clearly of his father. "And you wish to continue his obsession, to find a man's tomb? Why? Many necromancers write books, so why is this one so special?"

Her eyes softened as he spoke of his mother, the same gaze his mother would give him from time to time. "Your mother sounds like a good woman but... You know not what you ask. You do not understand what it is like here, you are a foreigner." She shook her head, a mother's disappointment upon her face, "Belief in the Dragon Gods means little. That's like believing in the sun or the wind. They are forces of nature, not some made up being people make to explain the unexplainable world around them."

She grew quiet, "You don't know what the Queen is capable of."

She looked down into her wine, "After Kythera fell... After we sacrificed it to save the continent from the Imperium, she arrived." She smiled softly, "It was a beautiful city, far more so than this little carved hovel built into a dragon's nest. Dratir was the city of water, Kythera was the city of plants. Every flower, fruit, bush, vine, and all of the animals and insects that cater to them, eat them, spread their seed, was carefully grown and managed in Kythera, all of them, from the entire continent. Some called it the Garden of Ecith, but that is such a diminishing title. To see it in its glory..." A tear streaked down her cheek, "Is to know true, natural beauty."

As he continued on in regards to the Senate, "You're so young, a child trying to find a parent to solve your problems for you, without even understanding what your problems even are." She sighed, taking a drink, "You need to learn more about this place you are stumbling through. You seemingly know nothing, yet you seek to ask everything of others here." She shook her head, her frown deepening. "Dragons, chieftains, warriors and mages alike, working together, could not remove the Queen from Kythera. And all who fell to her, now help guard her."

As he offered himself, in full, Carmie's eyes flared scarlet, and her voice was raised, deep and furious, carrying over the entire bar, "YOU INSULT US ALL!!!" She started to rise from her seat, and the woman in the middle raised a hand and Carmie stopped, then sat back, glaring fire and fury into Laebirius. The attention of the entire bar was on him now, and the man sidled his eyes over to the man, "Impressive. Not many people can get a rise out of her."

But as Laebirius continued, he asked his own question, "And why does it fall upon you, an insignificant nobody, to protect the world? To go against Death itself?" His eyes went black, pure, unending black, and he did rise. As he did, so did everyone else in the bar. And then they all left, leaving just the three and Laebirius and his companions. The man walked around the table, stalking about like a predator, "Do you even know what it means to be a Lich? To fracture and shatter your soul beyond recognition? To give up everything about what makes mortality beautiful, to give up all feeling, to become Undeath Incarnate? To defy the laws of nature."

He stepped behind Laebirius, placing his hands on the man's shoulders, "You say you believe in the dragon flights." Without moving his hands, Laebirius felt a push. He felt himself fall forward, and found himself standing in the middle of the table. He would find his body transparent, that he could no longer feel anything.

He was a ghost, and his body slumped forward, his nose cracking as it slammed into the table.

The man was now wearing a black scaled draconic humanoid form, stalking around toward Laebirius' companions. "If you move, I will kill you, and you will not rejoin the mortal coil ever again."

"You speak in tongues of naivete, of willful ignorance, of immaturity, self delusion, and of disrespect. You come to this land, learn nothing, seeking everything except for understanding."

He placed a hand on each of Laebirius' companions shoulders, and glared down at the ghost of Laebirius, "You have sixty seconds to show respect, to show understanding, and to say what it is you really want. You don't become a Lich to protect the world, you do not recruit dragons to fight for a book. What is it you really seek? Speak the truth now, or the story for all three of you ends here and now."

☠ 5th of Glade, Year 123, A.o.S ☠
Company: Varinios & Taidryn, Dragons | Thoughts: That is the truth | Mood: Scared, Unsure

The three listened to Laebirious speak, the tension in the room not easing for even a moment. As he finished, the black dragon squeezed the shoulders of Varinios and Taidryn tight, a smile growing on his face. He let go of the pair of them, gruffly saying, "Fetch us another round of drinks. None for yourselves." He cast his black eyes on Laebirius, who would feel the darkness from them grow, taking over the entire room, until he saw nothing but blackness.

Then with a gasp, he'd wake back up in his body once more. The black dragon man began to speak once more, but not toward Laebirius, "I apologize for disturbing your time of rest in the between and the beyond, but it seems the living have need of wisdom from the dead." As Laebirius would reorient himself with being alive once more, he'd see that a ghost was still in the room, seated in the chair the man had once sat in. A ghost that looked all too familiar.

For a man would always recognize his mother.

The dragon moved around to stand behind the spectral figure, leaning against the back of her chair. The man's words were soft, kind, compassionate as he spoke to her, "You are protected while you are here, you will not be harmed, and you may return to the beyond whenever you feel ready. But that man there is your son, and I believe he needs to tell you some things, and hear a mother's word."

The spectral woman nodded in understanding.

"Wha.. what have you done, Laebirius? What is it you must tell me?" Her face was one of worry and concern, fear, not for herself, but for her child. She knew what the Black Dragon was, that was part of answering their call, but how did her son get in to such a situation? How long had she been gone now?

It wasn't long until Varinios and Taidryn returned with drinks, passing them out with shaking hands. Taidryn looked nervously at the ghost, and the black dragon sneered at him, "She's dead, you idiot. Get out of my sight, both of you." The pair of them scurried off nervously. Then the dragon cast his eyes on Laebirius, "Well? She's waiting."

!	Message from: Aegis
	You may control Laebirius' mother in whatever way best suits her, so that dialogue may flow. Run the entire conversation between the two of them.

☠ There were no words that could describe how Læ was feeling, the young man stunned beyond all belief that of all the souls, the Black Dragon was able to find and call his mother to him. For what felt like an eternity he simply sat there and stared at her, tears running down his face as he coped with seeing her.

Even though her form was transluscent yet vivdly clear he still couldnt believe it was her. "Come now my little beetle, dont just sit there staring at your mother. You would think you had seen a ghost." she couldnt help but chuckle as she moved from the chair, coming to sit on the edge of the table in front of him. "What could possibly be wrong that a black dragon had to call me from my rest?" she inquired, holding his face in her hands.

He was still mesmorized by this, but finding his words he wiped the tears from his face. "I have come to terms with giving up my humanity. You were my world, my bright light in this otherwise ugly world. I have come to terms with casting off from this mortal coil, to breach the boundaries of life and death and become a lich. I have come here seeking a book that belonged to an ancient world mage, which could hold the secrets to become one." he began seeing the confusion in her eyes.

"My death shouldnt cause you to cast away your humanity & mortality. There is more to life than just me, my little one." she retorted, rubbing his cheek with her spectral thumb. He smirked and pressed into her hand with his face. He was going to milk this moment for as long as he could. "To become a lich, that is no life for such a kind and sweet young man like yourself. You would be hunted, and reviled by all. You will be ostrisized everywhere you go, and that is a life I would wish on no one. Do you truly wish to go down such a path, simply because the world took your mother from you? People die my little beetle, it is an inevitible and neccesary part of life. It was simply my time to go, and I died doing what brought me joy."

He pulled away from her grasp with those words, his eyes casting down to the floor. "I hear you mother, I truly do, but this is something that I have to do. To repay the kindness shown to me by the man who took me in after you died. This was his legacy, to find these books. I have to do this, regardless if the Solunarium approves, or the world approves......" his eyes, though filled with fiery determination, looked to her like a sad child who was afraid of disappointing their parents.

"Or even if you approve of it. I doubt Maelor approves of it, I dont even think he will approve f me being here and Ecith" he said as he hung his head low, adverting his gaze from her. For a moment she said nothing, but when he would look to his mother once again, he would find that her facial expression was of serious concern. After a few more moments, she let it fade from her and looked at him.

She took his face in her hands, and held his forehead against her. "I know I cannot make you change your mind, but know this. To become a lich, to forsake your humanity and mortality is to turn your back on everything I tried to instill in you. You will become something, someone I wont recognize." she spoke, tears running down the half-elfs face as he understood what she meant by her words.

Standing she turned to god back to the black dragon's side, but stopped and came back to him. Hugging him she whispered something in his ear that caused his eyes to go wide. Moving from him she came to stand next to the Black Dragon, looking out to the horizon. "I know you called me here to try and talk some sense into my child, but he has his father's determination. Once he sets his mind to something he is like a dog with a bone, and will not let it go." with that she finally set her eyes on the reptilian being that brought her here. ☠




"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

As the conversation between mother and child ended, the black dragon nodded at the dead woman. He placed a hand on her shoulder, as solid to him as any other person would be. "Thank you. Please, return to rest." And with that, she was instantly gone back to the between and the beyond. He turned to speak, when the quiet woman raised a hand. He stopped and returned to his seat, silent.

"So be it." Her voice was that of one who had seen mountains born and those same mountains reduced to gravel by time. "To receive our aid in your quest, you must first give aid to each of us first. Do this, and we will answer your call against the Queen of Kythera." There was a feral twitch at the corner of her mouth.

When she spoke, there was a swirl of invisible power in the room, a pressure that seemed to threaten to rip Laebirius' soul from his chest. "For Carmine, you will bring us the Eye of a Seer." With this, a pain tore through Laebirius' chest, blood blotting instantly into his shirt. If he chose to look, he'd see that his skin had been carved into the intricate shape of an eye.

"For Sable, you will bring us the Sword of an Arbiter." With this, a sword was engraved violently upon Laebirius' back.

A vicious smile formed upon the woman's face, her teeth long, pointed, brown and green and festering, "For Atra, you will bring us your father's dying scream." With this, Laebirius' left ear popped and blood began to pour from it and he'd find he could no longer hear from it. The blood seeped burned into his skin beneath his ear like acid, disappearing, leaving behind the acrid stench of flesh.

"You are bound in oath and blood to me. Your wounds will heal, leaving their scars to remind you of this. And if time should pass too freely, these wounds will fester and rot and spread their fetid throughout. I am not patient. I am not forgiving. Begone, and if we see you without our tribute, you will long for the sweet release of death that you seek to escape forever."

With that, she went silent, her lips covering her rotten teeth, and the other dragons did not speak either. They simply waited.

As they had done for centuries and millenia now.

☠ What came next was anything but expected. The one who had been simply watching up till this point, the one who exuded a sickening strength about her spoke. With her words came a thunderous power that even he couldn't bare the weight of. A smile of relief painted his lips as she had agreed to help him......for a price. And what a price it was.

His joyous expression quickly turned to one of unimaginable pain and agony as the symbols began to etch themselves into his flesh. The fact she could do this with just uttering words was terrifying. The pain from the eye was like being pressed between two walls that had razor-sharp teeth that ground against your flesh over and over again. The symbol on his back felt like it was being carved with searing hot lava. He wanted to rip his clothes off and writhe in agony but he didn't, he contained that urge, but couldn't hold the screams back, he wasn't strong enough for that.

He had gripped his palm so tightly that he broke the skin, blood trickling down his wrists and onto the floor. It almost felt like his teeth would crack from the amount of pressure he was applying from trying to bear the pain. He hissed when his ear popped, the blood pouring from his ear rancor and acidic. Tearful eyes glared at her as she finished her peace. He knew that was more of a threat than motivation, though it could have been considered both. When all three dragons fell silent, he stood, shaking from what he had just endured, and stumbled his way out of the bar.

Varinios and Taidryn both rushed to his side when they finally laid eyes on him, his guard catching Laebirius as his legs buckled beneath him. "What happened to you, are you alright young lord?" Laebirius took a moment to catch his breath but nodded in assurance that he was alright. "Come we have much to do, and I can't afford to waste any time." With those words the trio would head back to their lodgings, for wounds needed to be tended to and things needed to be discussed.

However, high above on one of the nearby roofs, a figure watched with increased curiosity. This same figure that had seen Laebirius and had been watching him since.

"Curioser and Curioser you are becoming child of smoke and whispers." A coy and playful smile fell on the figure's lips. ☠


"Common Speech"
"Vastian Speech"
"Vallenor Speech"
"Self-Thoughts"

Laebirius

Loot: None
Injuries:

The Blood Oath of Carmine - An eye carved into the flesh of Laebirius' chest. A "Seer's Eye" must be retrieved and given to Carmine. Starting on Glade 1, 124, if this oath has not been fulfilled, this wound will break open and become festering with infection, and will spread. This can only be treated, temporarily, by Master+ healing skills or magics, however, it will return and worsen on the first day of every new season the oath goes unfulfilled.

The Blood Oath of Sable - A sword carved into the flesh of Laebirius' back. An "Arbiter's Sword" must be retrieved and given to Sable. Starting on Glade 1, 124, if this oath has not been fulfilled, this wound will break open and become festering with infection, and will spread. This can only be treated, temporarily, by Master+ healing skills or magics, however, it will return and worsen on the first day of every new season the oath goes unfulfilled.

The Blood Oath of Atra - Burst left eardrum and scarring on the left side of the neck. His "Father's Dying Screams" must be retrieved and given to Atra. Starting on Glade 1, 124, if this oath has not been fulfilled, this wound will break open and become festering with infection, and will spread. This can only be treated, temporarily, by Master+ healing skills or magics, however, it will return and worsen on the first day of every new season the oath goes unfulfilled.

Points: 15, may not be used for magic.

Lore Development Opportunities: Den of Scales - The Bar location

Skills Used Eligible for Expert/Master Progression: None

Comments: Looking forward to seeing how Laebirius completes his quests.